Wedded Bliss
by Starlight623
Summary: Outtakes from my story "Marriage is Just an Adventure into Madness." Posted separately so this could get an M-rating. 'Nuf said. Includes their wedding night and other little interludes our favorite couple might have.
1. Wedding Night

A/N: Ok, friends, here's the outtake from "Marriage is Just an Adventure into Madness" that I was asking about. I'm posting it separately so the original story can keep it's T-Rating. Please be kind about this one. I've never written this kind of story before.

* * *

After the wedding and the feast were over, Hatter led us to the room the Queen had given us. It was in the furthest wing the castle had. I wondered why we would be so far from everyone.

Tarrant scooped me up and carried me over the threshold. As he put me back on my feet, I just couldn't believe we were here. I admired the room as Hatter shut and locked the door behind us. The bed was enormous and there were lit candles everywhere.

"Do you like them? The candles? I requested them," he whispered as he held me from behind.

"They're beautiful. Oh, Tarrant, the whole day was beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you. My Alice, you even outshone the Queen!"

I blushed. No matter how many times he complimented me, I could never get used to it. Not to mention, I was terribly anxious about what was about to take place.

"My love, you need not be nervous," he said, as though he was reading my mind. "This is new to both of us and we shall go at our own pace. Agreed?"

I smiled and nodded. Of course he would be wonderful about this as well.

"Good then. Now, first things first. Let's try to get more comfortable. May I help you with your shoes?"

He guided me to the bed and motioned for me to sit. He knelt in front of me and lifted my skirt just enough to see my boots.

"Alice, goodness! How many buttons are there?"

"Quite a few on each one. Shall I help you?"

"No, no. I just get the feeling that we'll be here awhile. Before things even get started," he sighed.

Finally, he removed both boots just as I adjusted the skirts I was holding. He noticed that I was just wearing socks.

"Alice! No stockings?" he teased.

"Why does everyone remark on that?" I said with a smirk.

"Naughty, naughty…" he said with a hitch in his voice.

Finally, he stood and carefully removed the stunning white hat from my head. It was a wedding present from him.

"It really is a gorgeous hat," I remarked.

"It had gorgeous inspiration," he replied, sitting next to me. He leaned over and kissed me gently, but it quickly escalated into more. He began peppering kisses up and down my throat and it was drawing the most delicious noises out of me. I began to realize why the Queen hid us away.

As he kissed (in the most wonderful ways), I reached up and removed his jacket. I then quickly undid his scarf, pulled it out of his collar and began working on the buttons of his waistcoat and shirt. Once those were out of the way, I wanted to reach for the kilt, but Hatter pulled back and smiled.

"Love, Ah believe yeh need teh catch up." His brogue began to appear and it just added to my excitement.

He pulled me to my feet and gently turned me around. Once he looked at the back of my gown, he gasped.

"More buttons? Are these things meant teh drive a groom mad?"

"Probably. Lucky for me, mine already is."

"Ah s'pose it does remove th' middlem'n," he muttered and went to work on loosening my gown.

As he reached the last button, it occurred to him that I wore nothing else underneath.

"Mah wanton Alice!"

"Corsets are like codfish. I had them sew something into the gown. More ridding of the middleman."

His eyes instantly turned a dark green. So dark they almost became black.

It seemed as though I had finally rendered the Mad Hatter speechless.

"Well, are you going to remove it?" I asked impatiently.

"Wot? Ah … well, Ah … aye, Ah suppose … Ah shall."

He really was adorable when flustered.

"Hatter," I whispered to snap him out of it.

"Ah'm fine," he gasped. "Thank yeh."

He gently began to pull at the material and helped me to step out of it, leaving me in only my knickers and socks.

"In all th' world, there is nae more beautiful creature than yeh," he whispered almost reverently.

I blushed and lowered my head. But he quickly put his hand beneath my chin and raised my eyes to his.

"Alice, ne'er be ashamed o' yehrself in front o' me. Ah am in awe o' yeh and Ah plan on worshippin' every … inch … o' yeh … tonight."

I almost lost it right there.

"Now, lie on th' bed please. Ah would like teh begin th' worshippin' now."

Who was I to say no?

Tarrant slowly rolled each of my socks down and tossed them behind him.

"You know, Hatter, I believe it is you who needs to catch up now," I said, motioning towards his still completely clothed lower half.

"Well, aye. But Ah don' want teh shock yeh wit' wot Ah 'ave 'ere."

"Oh Hatter, I've overheard the maids both at home and here at the castle. I know a bit what to expect. So, hurry along!"

If a smile could have rivaled the Cheshire, it would have been Tarrant's. In one motion, his shorts and kilt were down and I was faced with a terrifying prospect. I certainly didn't expect him to have so much muchness!

"Dannae worry, love. We were made fer one another, an' so this'll work perfectly," he whispered. He sat down and removed his socks and then turned to me. "Ah believe 'tis yehr turn again, sweet Alice." He put his hands on the waist of my knickers. "May Ah?"

I merely nodded, having no words myself now.

Torturously slow, he pulled them down my legs until suddenly we were both completely bare to each other.

I watched his eyes change shades several times between the dark green, a yellow, a strange yellow-green and then back to his dark green of lust. It must have taken him a moment to control what was going on in his head. I know I was having difficulty with it, so I could only imagine his plight.

"Ah believe now th' worshippin' can now commence," he whispered. "Please let meh know if Ah'm doin' somethin' wrong, mah sweet. Ah read up on this, but … well, we shall see, aye?"

I was going to ask him just what he read, but then he leaned over me, placed his hand on my cheek and began to kiss me. The question left my head instantly.

His hand slowly began to creep down my body. It was wonderful and delicious and perfect. The calloused hand finally got to my breast. He reverently began to caress me and I couldn't believe how wonderful it felt. His thumb delicately danced over my nipple and I thought I was going to burst.

He moved his mouth down my throat again and it was amazing. And then he reached my breasts. It felt scandalous, but I reminded myself that I was now a married woman and I was determined to enjoy myself.

The noises I was making now completely made me understand why the Queen hid us away. I couldn't even understand myself, though I'm sure there were a lot of "Hatter" and "Tarrant" and "Yes" involved.

And then his hand began moving lower. He reached the apex of my thighs and the world stopped.

"Alice, mah only Alice, mah sweet sweet Alice. Yeh're so … Well, it appears Ah do wonders fer yehr love life," he said with a proud grin.

He stroked and dipped and continued to make me chant utter nonsense. I was grateful beyond words that my husband worked so well with his hands, because he was doing wonderful things with them now. He continued to rub and plunge until finally I felt as though I couldn't contain myself. I screamed (something) and saw the stars explode behind my eyelids.

"Tarrant, Hatter, husband, that was …"

"A mind-bending experience?"

"I might be as mad as you now," I joked.

He continued his delightful teasing for a few more moments before asking, "Mah bride, do yeh think yeh're ready?"

"Oh please!"

"Th' answer Ah was longin' fer," he murmured and he settled himself between my legs. "Ah love yeh, mah wonderful Alice." And he pushed in.

It was an odd sensation. Stretching and filling and wonderful. Still, a little uncomfortable, but it seemed as though I heard it would hurt more. He continued to slowly make his way further, very nervous. And then he stopped.

"Alice, we've come teh th' point that Ah 'ave waited fer and yet dreaded. Ah believe this part will hurt some. Ah'm so, so sorry."

I just nodded, giving my approval to finally make me his in all ways. He gave one more thrust. And he was right, it did hurt. The tears came to my eyes.

"Oh Alice, sweet Alice! Ah'm so sorry mah dear, dear Alice. Forgive me."

"No, no," I said tensely. "I'm all right. I just need a moment."

"Ah'll wait as long as yeh need me too."

He really was a wonderful man. Not many men would have been so considerate.

Once the pain began to subside, I started to feel the wonderful stretching again. And began to think it could be even better.

"I'm ok. If you want to continue worshipping, I think now would be fine," I said, smiling my best.

He returned my smile and continued pushing. I was of course enjoying this as well, but I was intrigued by the look on Tarrant's face. Did I look like that as well? Suddenly his breathing and his pace sped up and I felt he must have been as close as I was just before. And then, I began to feel it again too. Surely I wouldn't have such another perfect experience already? But it was building and I felt as though if he stopped I would have surely gone even more mad. I felt complete and reckless and perfect and loved. With every thrust, I felt like I was flying.

Hatter brought his hand back between my legs and I just burst. There was a chorus of "Alice" and "Tarrant" and then we fell over the edge together. I had never been more blissful or more tired in my life.

Tarrant had all but collapsed on top of me. It felt right to have his weight there. Perfect. But he must have felt guilty and suddenly rolled off and out of me.

"Alice. Champion Alice. Wondrous Alice. Alice of much muchness! Tha' twas amazing."

"Indeed. Hatter, I never knew it could be that way. You were wonderful," I said with a yawn.

"Sleepy Alice," he sighed, kissing my cheek. His Outlandish brogue faded away, leaving his sweet lisp in its place. "Rest now. I think you'll be needing your strength later."

"Oh trust me, Tarrant, I'm not the only one."

"Minx!"

"You may have awakened a monster."

"I'll take my chances," he said with a chuckle.

"So … a kilt?" I asked.

"Yes, well, it is a tradition with my people. Did you not like it?"

"Oh Hatter. It was …" I almost had no words. "It was better than I could say. I'm not sure I ever told you how much I liked it on you when you wore it on the Frabjous Day."

"No, I'm quite sure you didn't. But I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'll try to wear them more often." His eyes sparkled with happiness.

"Not too often. Then it won't be special," I decided. "And I'm very glad you honored your family with it."

"Fair enough, sweetness. For now, sleep. I've longed to hold you as we sleep and now is my first chance."

I smiled and curled up to him as he held me close.

"I love you, Hatter."

"As I love you, Alice."

And we fell asleep, knowing our forever had finally begun.

* * *

A/N: Ok, like I said, please be kind!


	2. Dark Lover

A/N: Ok, I wrote this shortly after the wedding night and I told myself that if chapter 1 got at least 10 reviews, I would post this. Well, it currently has 22, so _WOW_! Thank you so much, everyone! I appreciate it more than I can say! This chapter is a bit darker than the wedding fluff of the previous chapter. It was inspired by a reviewer from "Marriage is Just…" (StrawberryBookworm) who mentioned that her friend said that you "could see a bit of a dark lover in hatter." StrawberryBookworm, if you read this, thank your friend for me!

* * *

Another party. Mirana loved throwing parties and balls for any occasion. I think she was just trying to balance out all the heartache and pain that her sister caused for so many years.

Tarrant and I were dancing and laughing. We were always determined to make the most of these events, even if we weren't all that impressed by them.

As we twirled around, I noticed a man in the corner, staring at us.

"Tarrant, do you recognize that man?"

He turned his head slightly to see him. "No, love. Can't say that I do."

We spun again and fell back into the steps of the dance. In the 2 years that we had been married, Hatter and I had become quite the dance pair. I always said it was because we were so in sync with everything else.

The man kept staring and after a while, Tarrant began to notice it as well.

"What do you think he wants?" he asked.

"How would I know? I haven't a clue who he is."

I felt Tarrant's grip on my waist tighten. He was a very jealous and protective husband and I knew this was beginning to bother him.

"I don't like how he's looking at you."

"Maybe he isn't even looking at us," I said, placing some emphasis on "us." "Maybe he's just staring into space. Or at a couple behind us."

"Alice, you are the most beautiful woman in this room. Of course he is looking at you."

I sighed. I could see this would probably get bad.

And then, it happened. The strange man walked over.

"Hello. This is my first ball at the palace and I was wondering if I might cut in and dance with the lady."

Tarrant spun around and instantly had me behind him. "Um, no, sorry. The lady is dancing with her husband and no cutting in is permitted."

"Ah, I see. Well, if the lady changes her mind later…"

"She won't," I added, hoping to make Hatter feel better.

"Ah suggest yeh listen an' find some other lass teh stare at, yeh dog," Tarrant growled, Outlandish accent becoming prominent.

The man walked away, but I knew that Tarrant was still on edge.

"Hatter, the party is almost over. Why don't we return home?"

"Aye, home. Perhaps tha' tis a good idea."

He summoned a carriage and we went back to our house. He was still and quiet the entire way. I was quiet as well, but I was plotting.

Once we entered our home, I spun him around and pinned him to the door.

"You know, Tarrant. I love it when you get all protective and possessive."

His eyes changed faster than I had ever seen and his brogue instantly appeared.

"Liked tha', did yeh?"

"Mmm-hmm."

Instantly, he bent down and tossed me over his shoulder and carried me that way upstairs.

"Ah hate when men look at yeh, Alice. Ah hate it."

"There's nothing you have to worry about," I tried to reassure him.

We got to our room and he set me down.

"Sweetness, Ah worry constantly." He suddenly pressed me to the wall and covered my mouth with his.

After the kiss, he pulled back to look at me. His eyes were the deep emerald that made me shiver. I took the hat from his head and placed it on my own. If possible, his eyes got even darker.

"Tha' looks good on yeh," he whispered as he bent down. He began to place kisses all down my neck.

I gave a little moan and Tarrant practically growled.

"Ah love th' noises yeh make, love. They let meh know Ah'm doing mah job well."

I smiled wickedly. If he wanted noises, then noises he would get. I whimpered and whispered his name.

"Say it ag'in, Alice."

This time I moaned it.

And I began to wake the monster.

"Yehr mine, yeh know," he said, deeply.

"All yours."

I began unbuttoning his jacket and then his waistcoat and then his shirt. Why did he have to wear all these layers?

At the same time, he was trying to undo the laces at the front of my gown.

"Bloody hell. Did yeh have teh tie it so tight?" he asked with frustration.

By now, I had everything unbuttoned and untucked. "Then rip it," I suggested, pressing my lips to his shoulders.

He looked torn. The lust wanted him to just tear into it. The milliner wanted him to be delicate with such fine clothing.

The lust won out.

Suddenly he ripped open the front of my dress. "Ah'll repair it later."

I went to remove his hat, but he stopped me. "Leave it on," he said, his brogue almost becoming dark.

So we were going to play it that way tonight … game on, Hatter.

I grabbed his shoulders and spun us around, pinning him to the wall like I did downstairs. I knew I would lose at this part of the game, but really, were there any real losers at a time like this?

"Show me who's I am," I purred before attacking his mouth with my own. I almost heard his mind snap and I could see tiny flecks of orange forming in his green eyes. But, of course, I knew he would never hurt me in a million years, so sometimes letting the madness go made things a bit more exciting.

"Oh, lass, Ah'll show yeh who's yeh are," he said, spinning us back around again. He grabbed my hands and held them above my head as he continued to kiss me. I licked his bottom lip and was granted access. Our tongues danced as one of his hands held mine up, while the other found its way into my hair.

Finally, just when I began to think that I would have to beg for more, he picked me up and tossed me unceremonially onto the bed.

He finished tearing open my dress and began to kiss and suck at my breasts. It amazed me that even during these kinds of lovemaking when things were a bit rougher, he was still just as tender.

"Tarrant…" I moaned.

"Tha's right, lass, only mah name."

His hat began to come off my head and he put it back. "It stays on," he reminded.

It was just another way to prove I was his, wearing his hat. Tonight must have really bothered him. Silly creature. As if I could ever be without him.

He sat up and removed all those layers from the top and then began to work on his pants. I reached to help him, but he swatted my hands away. He stood and made quick work of removing them and his shorts and was swiftly back on top of me. Tarrant bunched my skirts up around my waist, not even bothering to remove the rest of my dress. He fiddled with the waist of my knickers, glancing to me for permission. Even after all these times, he still always asked for permission. As if I would deny him.

I nodded and he pulled them off. He used his knees to nudge my legs apart and then returned to kissing me, caressing my breasts at the same time.

"Mine," he murmured into the kiss.

"Always," I whispered.

He reached down between my legs to see if I was ready. I almost laughed. I had been ready for most of the evening. Dancing with Tarrant always made me hot and bothered. My knickers were damp from the first step of the first dance.

He touched his forehead to mine and thrust within me. I gasped and moaned at the delicious feeling.

"Oh Alice," he moaned. "Wonderful."

As he began to move, I decided to play a little more. "And whose are you?"

He glanced up and his eyes went through a myriad of changes, finally settling back on the deep emerald.

"Yehrs, cricket. All yehrs. Forever yehrs."

And then he moved at an excruciatingly slow pace.

"Tarrant, please!"

"Yes, m'lady." He smirked knowingly at me and drove into me with everything he had. Finally!

I began to moan again as the wonderful sensations began to take over and I scratched down his back. Each time he pushed into me was better than the last. The moans turned into screams and cries of his name.

"Oh, those noises. You are perfect, love," he whispered.

I moaned some more and pulled his hair a little. I knew that would make him even crazier.

"Alice," he groaned. "Ah need teh do this _with_ yeh. Yeh feel so close."

"I'm ready, Tarrant. _So_ ready."

"Look at meh."

I was so caught up in the pleasure that I hadn't realized I had closed my eyes. When I opened them, I saw his smoldering gaze, a green so dark it was flirting with black.

He reached between us and it was all I needed. We both shouted each other's names as we tumbled over the edge together.

As we lay there, panting, we must have looked a sight! Tarrant completely nude, save for his socks and me in my torn gown, bunched up around my waist. Yet, it seemed so right for us.

He rolled off of me and placed his hand on my cheek.

"Took a chance tonight, playing with the madness when I was already so upset," he said, eyes already back to the original green.

"You would never hurt me and you needed this."

He nodded, but just barely. "I just get so jealous when other men look at you."

I knew my poor Hatter had so little self-esteem and that just made the jealousy worse. "No reason to be. I only have eyes for you. And only _will_ have eyes for you. But, for what it's worth, I like the possessive side."

He smiled. "I could see that. Besides, you were a woman with a mission tonight."

"I had to prove it to you somehow." I suddenly yawned.

"And it seems as though I wore you out while you were trying to convince me."

"Best way to get worn out."

"Let's get some sleep now, my minx." He reached up and took the hat from my head. "And for what it's worth, you look sexy in my hat."

I giggled as he placed it on the nightstand. "I love you, Tarrant."

"And I love you, sweet Alice. Good night, lovely."

"Good night."

* * *

End note: Ok, so I'm still terrified to post these, so please be kind!


	3. Tea Tables

A/N: I can't believe I wrote another one! And you crazy readers just keep egging me on. I blame you. LOL ;-) Thank you all for your amazing reviews! I think I'm finding my muchness again.

This story correlates to chapter 18 of my other story "Marriage is Just an Adventure into Madness." It's Alice making Hatter's dream come to fruition.

Please enjoy!

* * *

It had been a few weeks since Tarrant had, somewhat accidentally, admitted that he had dreams of us making love on the old tea tables. "Best of both worlds" he called it.

I was inclined to agree.

So, I made plans for the children to spend the afternoon with Auntie Mirana and continued to make other plans.

I thanked my lucky stars that the area of the old tea parties was now an abandoned area and we weren't likely to be intruded upon.

We borrowed a horse and carriage from the stable and I blindfolded Tarrant.

"Love, this surprise is starting out to be a bit naughty," he said with a grin.

_You have no idea_, I thought to myself.

"I just don't want you to see where we're going yet," I replied, helping him into the carriage.

Soon enough, we were arriving at the clearing where all the china used to be flung about. A lot of it still remained … for now.

"Poppet?" he asked quietly. "Are we were I think we are?"

"Depends," I answered, climbing down from the carriage and helping him out as well. "Where do you think we are?"

"Feels like the windmill," he whispered.

"Take off your blindfold."

He did and his eyes grew wide. I could see them changing as he tried to figure out why we were here. As he looked around, I could see memories coming back to him. Well, it was certainly my plan to make a new one today.

I released the horse and asked him to give us some privacy. He ran off into the woods. I then wandered over to the table closest to his old chair. (He reluctantly left it there to keep the rest of the old stuff company. It all got left behind as a bit of a memorial to the life lived during the Red Queen's tyranny.) Today, it would be much more pleasant.

I hopped up onto the table and crossed my ankles. "Well, are you going to stand there, or are you going to join me?"

Hatter ran over to me and put his hands on the table, on either side of me.

"Do Ah need teh ask wha' yehr intentions are fer today, lass?" he asked in that burr that drove me crazy.

I leaned forward to that our lips were almost touching. "I doubt it," I whispered.

That did it.

He put his hands on my knees and gently pulled them apart, then stepped forward to stand between them.

"Well, if this is wha' yeh had planned, then shall Ah at least make some suggestions?"

I nodded. "That was actually my intent. You'll remember dreaming recently about this?"

He smirked.

"Well, it occurred to me that we never actually got to do anything like this on these dear tables."

"Twasn't without tryin', yeh'll recall," he said. "A diff'rent time found us close teh this point, only teh be interrupted."

"Oh I recall," I said. I remembered the harsh jab of Mallymkun's hat pin sword in my thigh. We were friends, finally, but she didn't appreciate the "defiling of the tea tables." She'd flip her lid now!

"But now, oh sweetness, Ah think we should rectify tha' terrible oversight."

Now I smirked. I grabbed the back of his head and pulled him to me for a kiss. A good one.

After that kiss left me breathless, Tarrant pulled back to look at me. "If we're doin' this as we did in mah dream, then yeh're in th' wrong place."

"Lead on, then."

He grabbed my legs and turned me slightly so that I was facing his chair. Oh my.

"Now, just fer yehr own comfort, let's clean up a bit, shall we?" He walked to the side of the table and swept everything behind me onto the ground. "Couldn't 'ave yeh on th' tea cups, eh?"

I wasn't sure if he meant the double entendre or not.

"Now, in mah dream, lovely," he began as he returned to between my knees. "Yeh were right there, but yeh were, a'course, a little less covered."

"That may be why I wore this dress…"

The already dark green eyes went even darker as he noted the buttons on the _front_ of my dress.

He began to kiss me again and unbutton the front of my dress. After each button, he would kiss the newly exposed skin.

"Another corset free day, my love?" he teased.

"Codfish," I replied breathlessly, barely able to participate in what had become our inside joke.

He chuckled and pulled the fabric apart, leaning in to take one of my breasts into his mouth. His lips and tongue did such fantastic things as those milliner fingers took care of the other side. I tossed my head back and called his name. His mouth and hand switched places then and my world began to spin. I whimpered and moaned, knowing how he loved those noises.

"Mah goodness, kitten. If yeh're this worked up already, what will 'appen when mah hand ends up … 'ere?" he asked as he put his hand under my skirt, slowly creeping up my thigh.

I couldn't answer, but I wondered what he would think of his next surprise.

His eyes almost crossed when he discovered what else I didn't wear that day.

"Naughty! Yeh forgot 'alf yehr clothes today!"

"Forgot is a very strong word," I said with a wink.

Tarrant dropped to his chair and pushed my skirts further up. He placed kisses along the same path his fingers had just taken.

I feared that I would hyperventilate soon as I lay back completely.

Once he reached the apex of my legs, his tongue took a slow lick at my folds.

I moaned and was so grateful for his dream.

A few more licks and a quick suck at my bundle of nerves made me screech, "Hatter!" I was quite thankful that no one was around here now. This time would not be like the last time.

He raised his head and placed his chin upon the bunched up fabric on my hip. "Aye, cricket? Would yeh like meh teh stop?"

I raised my head to glare at him, but then softened my expression. "Actually, sir, if you don't continue along, I shall be very put out."

The prim and proper talk sometimes got him going as much as his accent got me.

"Then Ah should certainly not put th' lady out," he said, standing up and undoing his belt. "In fact, I shoul' very much like teh be _in_ th' lady."

I normally would have rolled my eyes at that, but I was quite swept up in the moment. Once his pants had fallen to the ground, he leaned forward and put his hands on either side of my shoulders.

"I love you, Alice."

"I love you, too Tarrant."

And with that, he thrust within me. My head fell back onto the table again. It may have hurt if not for the amazing feelings coming from my husband moving within me. It was unbelievable that we were doing this here. It was so rare these days that we did anything reckless and that feeling only fueled our fire.

"Alice … open yehr eyes," he commanded.

I looked up at him and saw the eyes that always melted me.

"Hold on," he said, as he placed his hands behind my shoulders and pulled. Suddenly he was seated in his chair again and I was straddling him. He pulled us back so fluidly that even as we landed in the old armchair, he was still within me, even deeper than before.

"This wasn't part of th' dream, poppet… But did Ah ever tell yeh that Ah fantasized constantly about having yeh in this very chair?"

"No, you never mentioned it. But I'll tell you a secret …" I leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I've wanted to do this for the longest time as well."

He gripped my waist tightly and his eyes got a tinge of deep gold to them. Nothing dangerous, but apparently the madness wanted me in this chair too.

His hands guided me as he wordlessly instructed me to start moving. He led my movements as I bounced. I wasn't sure I had ever felt this wanton in my life. It was shameless and wonderful.

"So many times we woul' 'ave tea out 'ere an' Ah would see yeh sitting there …" he faded out, trying to find the concentration to continue speaking and pushing into me. "… An' beloved, Ah would want teh grab yeh an' pull yeh onto meh an' … ugh … an' be just like this." One of his thumbs began to circle my nipple.

"I know what … sigh … you mean," I began, weaving my fingers into his hair. "You always looked so handsome, sitting there at the head of the table. In that bloody hat."

The mention of his hat really set him off. He knew I loved that hat. "Alice, yeh're perfection," he mumbled, trying to hold on a bit longer. "_Mah_ perfection. Mah wonder. Mah dearheart."

I wanted to reply. I wanted desperately to tell him how much he meant to me and how amazing this was. But I could feel the pressure building and I knew the bubble was about to burst.

"Tarrant, please!" I cried.

"Yehr wish is mah command," he said, obviously struggling to speak. His hand came between us and those deft fingers of him found my sensitive nub.

I felt as though I had shattered and I screamed unabashedly. Tarrant called my name as he followed me over the edge.

I slumped forward and laid my head on his shoulder and my hand over his heart.

"Alice," he panted. "Yeh ne'er cease teh amaze meh."

"I could say the same for you. Tea tables … really."

"Oh, lass, I dinnae hear you complain just a few moments ago."

I smiled. Too true. "Fine, fine."

His arms came up around me and he embraced me tenderly. "Yeh really are mah dearheart, yeh ken."

"Aye," I said, trying to match his accent. "And yeh're _mo ghràdh_."

He beamed and touched his forehead to mine. "_Tha gradh agam orti_."

We sat that way for some time before we finally decided we needed to get back.

But I decided along the way to pay more attention when Tarrant talked in his sleep.

* * *

End notes:

Ok, I hope my Scottish wasn't too off. I trusted the interwebs for the answers.

_mo ghràdh= _my love

_Tha gradh agam orti =_ I love you always

I wish any of my Scottish relatives were still alive to ask them. (Though, I certainly wouldn't tell them it was for this! *wink*)


	4. Happy Anniversary

A/N: Huh, I expected a little more response to the last chapter. I mean, it was the quintessential place for them to make love. But ah well. Hopefully folks are still enjoying these stories. Thank you so much to those who are leaving reviews. I adore reading them all!

This chapter was supposed to go into my other story, but it turned into one of these chapters instead. Again, I blame you guys! :-) Actually, there is a reviewer that I need to blame and I unfortunately accidentally deleted their message with a suggestion that ended up in this chapter. Once you read, please let me know who I should give credit to!

* * *

If there was an obvious lesson that I learned when we became parents, it was that there is no more normal life. And that's saying something when you live in Underland.

But once Charlotte was born, our lives were forever changed. Our time was no longer ours. And then Will was born and our time didn't exist.

It was difficult to have any time to ourselves once we had two children. Not unexpected, but disappointing when there were times that we just needed each other. One time in particular was our tenth anniversary. I could hardly believe that 10 years had gone by. It was a blur of jabberwockies, flowers, ceremonies and children.

We awoke that morning and glanced at the clock. There was just enough time to "start celebrating" (so to speak), before the children were awake.

"_Guid mornin_, fair bride," he whispered in that burr that drove me mad.

"_Guid mornin_, handsome husband," I replied. He loved it when I tried to speak in Outlandish to him. Even if it was just in bits and pieces.

He rolled toward me and put his hand upon my cheek.

"Ten years, Alice."

"Indeed. Ten wonderful years!"

He began to kiss me when all of a sudden …

"Mama!" came the call from Will.

"Maybe he'll go back to sleep," Tarrant muttered against my lips.

"Mama!"

Hatter put his forehead against mine, obviously disappointed. Surely if baby Will was up, by this time Charlotte was up too.

"To be continued," he said as he lifted himself up. "I'll get Will?"

"That'll be fine," I answered. "I'll check on Lottie."

The rest of the afternoon went very similarly to the morning. Stolen kisses here and there, but children misbehaving or not napping pretty much killed our alone time.

Tarrant decided to get some work done in his shop since we weren't having a dream anniversary. I let him, figuring something productive should get done.

Once it was time for supper, I was surprised when it was Nivens and not Tarrant who was at the door.

"Lady Hightopp, the presence of your children is requested with her majesty," he said.

"My children? Aren't I to join them?" I asked, curious as to what this was about.

"No. You are to bring them to the dining hall and that is all."

"Um, all right."

I packed up Will's things and put him in his carriage.

Once we arrived at the Great Hall, Mirana greeted me.

"Alice! Splendid! I am so glad the Hightopp children could join me and my friends for supper."

"Mirana? What is this all about?"

"Ah, yes. I am to deliver this note to you," she said as she handed me a piece of paper. "Now, Charlotte, let us join the others at the table, shall we?"

She took the carriage from me and led my daughter to the dining table.

"Curiouser and curiouser," I muttered as I left the hall. Once I was out of the room, I opened the note. I recognized the messy scrawl at once.

_Alice,_

_Meet me back at our chambers. I have a surprise for you._

_All my love,_

_Tarrant_

Suddenly it all became clear. The going to "work," the children being at dinner but not me, it was all Tarrant's plan.

I hurried back to our chambers. Once I opened the door, I almost fell over.

Standing there in the middle of the bedroom was my husband. He stood there with his over-sized sword, in full kilted regalia.

"Tarrant, what is all this?"

"Lass, this would be th' attire o' mah clan."

"Well, yes, I recognize that. Is there a reason you're wearing it?" I asked, slowly making my way towards him.

"Ah recall somethin' yeh told meh, a few years back. Something Ah did tha' made yeh want teh … how did yeh put it? Mmm, drop yehr knickers. Ah believe it 'ad somethin' teh do wit' dropping mah hat afair fightin' th' knave."

He raised his hand to his top hat, grasped it and tossed it to the ground.

"Was tha' similar teh 'ow it 'appened?"

I was weak in the knees already.

"Yes, I believe it was. However, I'm not dressed in armor and I don't think there's a jabberwocky close."

"Distractions. We don' need 'em."

He let the sword fall and closed the distance between us.

"Happy anniversary, love," he whispered before bending to kiss me in the most delicious way.

I couldn't respond except for an appreciative moan.

He pulled back and smiled at me. "So, do yeh still think yeh don' slay?"

"After some careful consideration, I've decided that perhaps I do," I said, tugging at his ascot.

Why did this man wear so many bloody layers? I went without a corset and stockings and look at the benefits—less to remove! But Tarrant insisted on daily wearing a shirt and a waistcoat and a jacket and an ascot or some sort of tie. Did he not know that he married an impatient woman?

My irritation must have shown because he chuckled. That infernal man had the nerve to laugh at me.

"Problem, cricket?"

"Yes, I have a problem! You are overdressed, husband."

"Well, wife, let us address this problem."

He pulled his ascot from his collar, shrugged off his jacket and unbuttoned his waistcoat, removing it as well.

"Better?" he asked with mischief in his voice.

"Close," I said as I reached up and pulled his shirt open, sending the buttons flying.

Tarrant's jaw dropped as I pulled the shirt off of him. I waited for his response, but I didn't wait long. Before I knew what was happening, I was on the bed and under a very aroused husband.

"Wha' do yeh have against mah shirt, lass?" he asked before attacking my neck with kisses and gentle sucks.

"It was in my way. You wear too much, Hatter," I answered breathlessly.

"Ah dress as a proper gentleman." Kiss. "Ah feel tis only appropriate as we live in th' palace." Suck. "If yeh would like teh have meh dress like a ragamuffin…" Kiss. "Ah s'pose Ah could try." Lick. "Otherwise we'll have teh—"

"Hatter!" I interrupted with some annoyance in my voice. Leave it to my husband to even ramble during this.

"Aye, sorry mah love. Mah mouth could be put teh such better uses."

He continued to kiss me and make me want to beg for more when suddenly I felt a pull at my chest. The buttons from my dress went flying in the same manner as Hatter's shirt buttons.

"Fair's fair, love," he murmured as he kissed down my breasts, paying special attention to my nipples.

I wanted to have a snappy retort. I would have loved to have had anything witty to comeback with. But I didn't. I barely had enough brain function to breathe, let alone speak. I clutched his firey curls in my hand and tugged just enough to egg him on.

His mouth switched sides and began the exquisite torture on the other breast. My nails scratched down his back in appreciation.

"Mmmm, Alice," he whispered against my chest. Then he looked up at me. "If Ah would 'ave known tha' this was what 'appened when Ah donned a kilt and held a sword, Frabjous Day would've ended much diff'rently."

"Well, Frabjous Day ended fine, I thought," I said.

"True," he said, once again paying regard to my breasts. "Th' engagement led teh th' marriage which led to this. Everythin' in good time," he replied as tried to get me out of my dress. "Except this. Alice, help."

I tried not to laugh as he tried to get me out of my dress. He really could have just pushed up my skirt, but instead I quickly stood and let the dress drop. I stared back at him with the best seductive stare I could conjure. And then I pushed my knickers down and stood before him.

"Oh, sweetness, please come back teh meh."

I got back onto the bed and he started to remove his kilt.

"Leave it on," I commanded softly.

"Aye, lass."

He climbed on top of me and began to kiss my neck again as his hand wandered all over my body. It was completely cliché to say, but his milliner fingers were magical. He could make the most beautiful hats and he could play my body like an instrument with them.

Those fingers were dipping within me and stroking me and making me utter things that I didn't even understand. Every curl of those fingers made me moan and shudder. I gripped his arms so hard that I was probably leaving bruises.

"Yeh're so beautiful," he whispered in my ear. "Let go, mah dearheart. Ah want teh see yeh come apart."

My head tossed back and forth and his words pushed me over the edge. I screamed his name as I watched the stars explode.

"There is nothin' like mah name from yehr lips. 'specially when yeh say it like tha'. Care teh scream it again?" He moved his kilt a bit and revealed what he had on underneath… nothing.

"Why, Hatter!"

He just waggled his eyebrows suggestively at me. "If Ah wore anythin' underneath, it wouldnae be a kilt, but a skirt."

A surprise for a surprise, I thought as I quickly reached under the fabric and wrapped my hand around his length.

"Mercy, woman!" he groaned. A string of Outlandish words followed.

I ran my hand up and down him, bringing the most sinful noises from him.

Suddenly, he put his hand over mine to stop what I was doing. "Ah cannae wait a second longer. Ah need teh be in yeh, or Ah'll just go mad." And with that, he pushed into me. Stretching me, filling me, completing me.

I knew this wasn't going to take long, but that didn't matter. Just making love with my husband was enough for me. Sometimes we could go for hours. Sometimes less was more.

"Tarrant," I mumbled. "Harder."

His already darkened eyes darkened more. "Harder, eh? Ah think Ah can oblige."

Oh and oblige me he did. He thrust even harder as he pushed my knees a bit further apart. He was within me even deeper than before. It was the most amazing feeling as I tried to raise my hips to meet him.

"Let's see if we can get tha' scream back," he said with a devilish grin. He looked at me with that lopsided grin and let his fingers dance at my most sensitive place.

If anything, I yelled his name louder this time. Almost at the same time, I heard Hatter cry out my own name. A few more thrusts and he was laying atop of me.

"Hmmm, a girl could get used to this," I giggled as I ran my fingers through his hair with one hand and fiddled with his kilt with the other.

"Well, if I always wore the kilt, then it wouldn't be as special," he reasoned, using my own words from our wedding night against me.

"I suppose that's true … but I definitely look forward to the next occasion!"

"My wanton Alice."

I waggled my eyebrows at him now.

"Well, shall we relax in the tub before it's time to fetch the children?" he asked.

"Yes, a bath sounds wonderful."

He rolled off of me and pulled me to him.

"I love you, dearheart," he whispered into my hair.

"I love you too, sweet husband."

He got out of bed and hurried to start the water. There was nothing like just cuddling with Tarrant after we made love, and in the warm tub just sounded perfect. Being close to my husband was just heaven. Life was good.


	5. Night Alone AKA, Return of the Kilt

A/N: This is my longest chapter for this story. It will likely be my last one, at least for a while. I wanted to make it a good one. I hope I succeeded. Thank you all SO much for reading this story and for your wonderful reviews. I never thought I would have the guts to write one chapter, let alone five! Your encouragement has meant so much to me. Please let me know what you think of this chapter. It's fluffy and steamy all at the same time. And thanks to KAGluvsINU for giving me the idea for this one!

(Also, the beginning of this chapter may need you to read chapter 21 of my other story "Marriage is Just an Adventure into Madness")

* * *

I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't believe it. My mother wrote me a letter saying that she wanted to watch the children for a night.

"Tarrant! Fetch me a quill!"

A week later we were packing up the children. I was a bit worried, considering that the children had never really spent the night away. Granted, Mirana had appointed us nannies for them, but we barely used them. Usually only when there were events at the castle that ran late past bedtime.

But I knew my mother would be capable enough. These were her grandchildren. And she had mellowed a great deal since learning about Underland and our ways here. Not to mention she had servants to help her as well.

So, we went through the mirror and had a lengthy goodbye that ended with my mother shooing me and Tarrant dragging me back through the mirror. Conspirators.

Once we were home, Tarrant informed me that he had one hat that he had to finish for one of the Lords of court. I agreed wholeheartedly since that would allow me to prepare for my plans for the night.

Ever since he wore his kilt for me that night on our anniversary, I knew that we needed to do that again. But I had some changes this time.

This time, I would be wearing it.

I ran around our chambers, trying to get everything done before the hat was finished. I found the kilt, a shirt that would work and some knee high socks. I even found the tam that Hatter made me a few years ago.

I wasn't sure how much longer he would be, but I was sure it wouldn't be too long. He could make a beautiful hat in what seemed like minutes anymore. (Could have been all the practice thanks to my _inspiration_ …)

Finally, I decided to just lay on the bed and wait. Just a few moments later, I heard the main door to our chambers open. I posed as best I could and waited for Tarrant to get to our bedroom.

"Alice! I must say the hat I …" he trailed off as he finally entered the room and saw me laying there in these clothes … his clothes.

"Yes? What about the hat?" I asked as innocently as I could sound.

"Forget the hat. What is all this?"

"This would be the attire of my clan," I said, mimicking what he told me when he wore this kilt.

"Your clan?" he asked as he smiled.

"Aye," I replied, trying my best to give myself an Outlandish accent. "Ah might not be one by birth, but Ah am very much a Hightopp. Are you sayin' I cannae wear the traditional clothing?"

"Lookin' tha' good, lass, yeh can wear whate'er yeh want." He quickly made his way to the bed and sat next to me. "What brought this on?"

"Payback," I said, pulling him down to me for a heated kiss.

Once we were thoroughly out of breath, Hatter pulled back and smiled at me. "This means a great deal to me, beloved. And who made this fine hat yeh've got on?"

"The royal hatter, sir. He's a fine milliner and quite frankly, if I may be so bold, an even better lover," I said with my "proper English lady" voice.

His eyes rapidly darkened at that and he pulled me into another kiss. He reached up and removed the hat and then gently placed it on the bedside table. He then began to work his way down my throat, kissing, nipping and sucking along the way.

I moaned a bit and received a soft kiss to my collarbone.

"Yeh make th' most delicious noises, poppet."

"So you say," I whispered, barely able to find my speaking voice.

As he delicately unbuttoned my shirt, I knew tonight was going to go slowly. With no children home, we could take our time and enjoy ourselves.

He softly kissed down my chest as he unfastened my shirt, peeling it gradually from me and returning to my mouth.

"Ah love yeh so much, Alice," he said, before giving me one of the sweetest kisses he ever had. "Ah don' think Ah 'ave th' words for 'ow much Ah love yeh."

My hands wound into his wild hair. "Then just show me."

"As yeh wish." He kissed down the other side of my neck and found his way to my breasts.

"'ave Ah ever told yeh how much I love the fact that yeh don't wear a corset?" he asked before placing a gentle kiss to my nipple.

I sighed. "Once or twice."

"Then let meh tell yeh again. It saves meh a dreadful step in getting' teh worship yehr exquisite breasts." He then ghosted a lick over that same breast.

I could tell now that he definitely was going to take his time tonight. I hoped my impatience wouldn't get the best of me.

Tarrant continued his sweet torture of light touches and barely there kisses. His bandaged fingers circled everywhere but where I wanted him most and his tongue took the same paths.

My impatience did get the best of me, but I tried my best to hide it behind a moan of his name. "Tarrrrant."

Either he took the hint or it egged him on, because finally he began to suck a bit harder and his talented fingers took a light pinch at my nipple.

This drew an actual moan from me.

He switched his mouth and fingers then and he made my body sing. For a madman, he was the most gentle lover imaginable.

Finally, he began to run his hands down to the kilt. Just when I thought he was going to push the kilt up, or at least go under it, he continued down my legs.

I groaned a little in protest.

"Hush, mah love. Ah know what yeh need. Trust meh that yeh'll get it," Tarrant said as he unbuckled my shoes and rolled each sock down, excruciatingly slow.

Once he had them each off, he began to kiss his way back up my leg, running his fingers up the other.

"Yeh're such a bonnie lass. Mah sweet, bonnie lass."

Once he reached the kilt, he began to push it up a bit. He looked up at me and said, "Leave it on." I smiled, knowing that was what I told him last time.

As he got it up to my hips and noticed my lack of undergarments, he gave me that lopsided grin that drove me mad. "Mah sweet, _naughty_, bonnie lass. It barely surprises meh when yeh go without yehr knickers anymore."

"Just saving you another step."

"How considerate," he whispered.

"And if I wore anything underneath…"

"It wouldnae be a kilt."

I smirked and was rewarded as he dragged a finger up my folds, making me toss my head back.

"So wet already, love?"

"It's easy with you."

He gently pushed his finger within me, making me moan again.

"Goodness, cricket. Maybe yeh should wear mah clothes more often, if it makes yeh act like this."

He added a finger and circled my sensitive nub with his thimbled thumb. Each push within me was another step to ecstasy.

"Alice, Ah want teh hear yeh say mah name."

I could certainly oblige him that. "Oh, Tarrant."

"Now, be a good lass an' scream it."

He leaned up a bit and sucked at my neck, pushing me over the edge. He wanted a scream and he got one, indeed.

"Tha's mah girl," he whispered in my ear.

"Do you realize how over dressed you are?" I asked, breathless from what just happened.

"Aye. But Ah was busy focusing on yeh."

"Well, focus on getting all that off now, Hatter."

He chuckled. "Yes, m'lady." He quickly stripped off all his clothing and then joined me back on the bed.

Tarrant tenderly moved my legs apart and knelt between them. Placing a soft kiss on each of my breasts, he then worked his way down to my stomach, placing more kisses there.

I tensed a bit with him there. After two children, I obviously wasn't as thin as I used to be.

"Love?" he asked, sensing my discomfort.

"Tarrant, I'm not as …" I just couldn't finish.

The brogue left for a moment. "Sweetness, is this about your body?"

I nodded.

"Well, let me tell you that, first, I love every single curve and mark on this body. And second, I intend to explain to you why. But only after I make love to you thoroughly. A body like this needs to be ravished."

He leaned up to kiss me, hard. And before I knew what was happening, he thrust himself within me. I broke the kiss as I gasped.

"Caught yeh off guard, aye?"

"Aye," I panted.

He smiled as he moved in and out so slowly.

"Tarrant, how can you stand this?"

"What, mah love?"

"The slowness!"

"Mah impetuous Alice," he sighed, still moving so slowly. "Mayhaps we need teh slow down. Take advantage o' a quiet night. Enjoy each other. Feel each other."

I knew he was right. Perhaps I did just need to slow down and enjoy.

As if he was reading my mind, he smiled and said, "See? Feels better already, right?"

I nodded.

But, having apparently won the war, he began pushing harder. "But Ah'm not opposed teh givin' a lady wha' she wants either."

Finally, he began moving faster and harder. I felt like we were flying. We hadn't just felt each other in such a long time.

Moans and screams and each other's name filled the room. My head tossed back and forth and Tarrant's eyes changed colors rapidly. It was amazing.

And when I felt myself just ready to burst, Tarrant asked me to fall over the edge with him. I readily followed with a scream of his name. He collapsed onto me and I held on to him with everything I was worth.

"I love you, Tarrant."

"As I love you, my Alice." He rolled off me but remained right next to me. "Now, let me tell you about these little quirks on your body that I love so much. Let's start at the top. Right at the base of your neck is a birth mark. And if I give it just a little …" He sucked right where he was pointing. I gasped at the feeling. "… You make that noise." He smiled wickedly.

"Now, further down are these three lines," he said, referring to my faded, but still visible bandersnatch scars. "These lines show me just how brave you are to have faced a fully grown bandersnatch. Further down, we have these lines." He was referring to my stretch marks of carrying two children. "These might be my favorites. These show me that not only are you an amazing woman, but you are a loving woman. One who saw through my madness to find the lonely man underneath. The one who made love to me and created life twice with me. The one who gave birth and raised those two little lives. And any additional curves that comes with that, just gives me more Alice to love."

I smiled a little at that.

"Now moving down even more, there is the scar just about the side of your right knee. Which, if memory serves me correctly, you told me you got while hiding from your father in the mazes."

I nodded to him.

"Which tells me of your curiosity and of your playfulness."

"I think you know my body better than I do," I told him, amazed at what he said.

"Thank you, I've worked hard to learn it."

"You always know how to make me feel better," I said, running my hand down his cheek.

"It makes me so happy to make you happy. My day is made infinitely better if you're smiling. So, do you really feel better about yourself?"

I smiled. "Yes, I really do."

His eyes sparkled and he gave me that genuine smile of his that just melted my heart. "You're my world, beloved. And, I think you are the most beautiful creature in any world."

"And you are my handsome hatter."

He held me close and we dozed off. As I fell asleep, I was so grateful for my life.


	6. Healing

A/N: Sometimes in life, people make a liar out of you. I had every intention of putting this story on hiatus. And now, I think there may even be another chapter after this! Aye, yi, yi. Many thanks to LxIsxJustice for convincing me that this could work. I really hope it worked.

Warning: there's some violence to Hatter (which was tough for me) but there's healing too. Then the usual fluff. Alice fixes him. ;-) I hope I mix it all together well.

* * *

It felt like a normal evening. We put the children to bed. We climbed into our own bed and I read while Tarrant made some sketches for a new hat for Mirana. Finally it came time to turn down the lights and go to sleep.

We said our good nights and cuddled together for what I hoped would be a pleasant night sleep.

I was wrong.

I don't know how long we were asleep when I awoke to screaming. It was Tarrant. I couldn't tell what he was saying. Some of it was in Outlandish, some of it was gibberish, some of it came out so squeaked that I couldn't tell what it was.

"Tarrant! Love, wake up! Hatter, it's just a dream! Please wake up!" I pleaded as I shook him gently. It didn't seem to be working. "Tarrant, please!"

Finally, his eyes shot open and they were a strange crimson color. I wasn't frightened, but I was taken aback.

"Hatter, good God, what's wrong?"

Instantly, his eyes faded to orange, then yellow, then back to my sweet green. "Alice?" he asked meekly.

"Of course, my darling. What on earth were you dreaming of?"

"Dreaming … yes of course. It's over."

"What is over?"

He shook his head. "No, it's all over now. Go back to sleep, poppet."

"Hatter, please. What was troubling you so? You sounded so terrified. You sounded in pain."

"Yeh just cannae leave it alone, can yeh?" he snapped, his eyes threatening yellow.

"No. No, I can't," I said as defiantly as I could. There was no way I was letting his yellow eyes get in the way of figuring this out.

"Alice, I made myself a promise. I told myself that I would never reveal to you what happened that day. I don't want to tell you about it."

"What day? The Horunvendush Day?"

He said nothing, but then I caught on. "Oh. The day in the dungeons."

Tarrant just barely nodded.

"Maybe you should talk about it, Hatter. Maybe it's time. It's been well over 10 years now."

"Ah dinnae want teh tell yeh. Yeh don' deserve teh hear such things! Angels shouldnae hear of hell."

"And they don't deserve to suffer in it either. Please, Tarrant. Tell me what happened. I want to make this better."

"Alice, yeh may be mah miracle and mah miracle worker, but Ah doubt even yoo can make these scars better."

"Let me try. Tell me about it."

I attempted to make it easier on him, by kissing his neck. This was going to be rough enough without some distractions.

He sighed, knowing I had won. His eyes settled into an uneasy green, but his lisp returned for the moment.

"Fine. But I worry that you'll look at me differently after this."

"I promise that I won't," I said as I kissed down his throat.

"It started out simple enough. I was captured after I threw you and my hat across the river. I knew it wasn't going to be good, so I braced myself for the worst. And I got it. The second I was tossed into the cell, Stayne came in. He asked me where you were and I told him I didn't know what he meant. He pushed me back against the wall and almost knocked me out right then and there. But I stood my ground. No one was going to get to you. He strode over to me and tried to get a punch in, but I dodged him and he punched the wall. As you can imagine, that just made things worse. He caught me off guard and got me several times as he asked where you were. I told him I didn't know. He tied my hands above my head and … and that's when things got bad."

"I'm right here," I assured him. "I'm never leaving your side and I want to help you through this. Tell me about the scars. This one," I said, dragging my finger down the top one.

"That was the first one I got. He was getting tired of my denying him answers, so he pulled out the whip. I hadn't even realized they removed my shirt until I felt it connect. 'Where is the girl?' he asked. I told him he might as well kill me because I would never tell."

It didn't surprise me that he still knew how each of the four lines happened. "And this one?" I asked, tracing another one of the scars, this time with my tongue.

"He told me he would find you and … and behead you himself, right in front of me. I told him in no uncertain terms what he could go do with himself. And then I received the second one."

"This one?" I licked my way down another one.

His breath hitched, but he continued. "Stayne mentioned what he wanted to do to you first. I told him that he wouldn't get to you even over my dead body. I would never tell where you were. Strike three."

"And the last?" I used my teeth a little on this one.

"He … he told me that it didn't matter anyway. He was just tormenting me because they already had you. They had found you and were holding you elsewhere, just biding their time before … before …"

"Hatter, it's all right. I'm here and I'm fine."

"Before they killed you. I knew they couldn't have you, but the very thought made my blood run cold. I spit in his face and the last hit was the worst."

"Yes, it looks like it," I said, gently running my fingertip along it. "But that is all over now."

"Yes, it is. I was so overjoyed to see you in the throne room, even if you were much larger than when I had last seen you. You were a beacon of hope to me. You might have been in the castle, but they had no idea who you were, so you were safe. I could have run up there and kissed you, but I knew that would mess things up. You almost made me forget what I had sworn to do."

"I want to make you forget more than that," I whispered, running my hand up and down his thigh.

"Oh, Alice. You might just be an angel."

I smirked.

"So, once I became her hatter, I was thrilled. It meant a little more freedom, probably no more beatings and whippings and the possibility of seeing you. And lo and behold, you came to me. Wonderful Alice, you came to me."

"You suffered so much just to keep me safe. I can't believe you did that."

"I couldn't let them hurt you. You meant so much to me. Even besides being the champion, you were the woman in my heart. They wouldn't get to you. I would make sure of it."

By now I had moved up to his length, which was quite ready for me. Despite the horrific story, my ministrations were doing the trick. Hopefully I was making some of those bad memories fade away.

"You might be a devil too, minx," he muttered as my hand dipped below his waistband.

"What ever you need me to be," I whispered as I grasped him and slowly stroked him.

"Oh, sweetness, all I need is you. Nothing else."

I pumped a little harder and his breathing increased.

"Are you feeling better now, Tarrant?"

"I forget why I was upset," he moaned. And a string of Outlandish followed.

"Lass, if yeh don' let meh make love teh yeh, then Ah think Ah might lose mah mind."

"Whatever you need," I whispered.

Before I knew it, his pajama bottoms were gone and my nightgown was pushed up over my breasts.

Tarrant began sucking and kissing my neck and quickly worked his way down to my chest. I originally had the thought of being the domineering one tonight, almost as a better form of torture, but instead, I decided to let him take the lead. Perhaps it was better to let him do what he needed.

He was so gentle as his fingers danced over my nipples and his tongue did the same. I don't know what I was expecting, but slow and sweet wasn't one of them.

I ran my hands through his crazy orange hair, moaning his name.

"Mmm, sweetness, mah name from yehr lips drives meh mad."

He continued to kiss his way down my stomach to the peak of my legs. His fingers teased me lightly.

"Sweet Alice, are yeh this ready fer meh so soon?"

"All for you. Always all for you."

He bent his head and took a long, slow lick, finishing up with a suck to my bundle of nerves. I practically screeched his name at that.

"Shhhh, mah love. Yeh'll wake th' whole kingdom," he said with a grin as he continued to rub circles around that bundle.

Knowing what I was rushing headlong towards, I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him to me to muffle the scream that was about to fill the room.

Once I was finished, Tarrant pulled back and smiled at me. "Naughty."

"Speak for yourself," I replied.

"Time fer talk is o'er," he murmured in my ear and thrust within me.

I had expected this love making to be a bit rougher and faster, thinking of the aggressions that Tarrant might be trying to get out. Instead, each movement was like a worship.

"Hatter, are you all right?" I asked.

"Ne'er better, love," he said. "Why do yeh ask now?"

"Just checking," I panted.

"Yeh're a wonderful woman, Alice. Yeh give meh so much. Yeh make mah life whole," he said in between motions.

And then it occurred to me. This wasn't about aggression from the dungeons. It was thankfulness that he got out and got to me.

"I love you, Tarrant. I love when you make love to me. I love how you feel as you move," I sighed.

He smiled down at me, then bent to kiss my neck. I ran my hands up and down his back, desperate to be even closer to him. I needed this healing too.

"Alice, yeh feel amazing. Yeh're everything." And then he began speaking in Outlandish. I heard words like beloved, beautiful and wife. It made my heart melt.

Soon, his pace began to pick up and I knew he was close. He put his hand between us and with a few small strokes, I was crashing over the edge with him, screaming, panting and moaning our pleasures.

He rolled off of me, but pulled me closer.

"Alice you are amazing. Only you could do that for me. I love you more than I can possibly say."

"I would do anything for you. You have given so much for me."

"Worth it. Every single moment. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you."

"Maybe we should just agree that we are crazy for each other," I said with a giggle.

"Fair enough." Suddenly, he yawned.

"Sleep now, my love. I will be right here when you wake up. I will always be here, thanks to you."

He kissed me passionately and then stroked my cheek. "Thank you again."

"Anytime."

"I love you, champion Alice."

"And I love you, warrior Tarrant."

We cuddled closer and fell asleep. And as I nodded off, I felt a little more confident that Tarrant's nightmares might finally lessen.

* * *

End note: Gold star to any reviewer who can find the quote from the original script.


	7. First Anniversary in the Meadow

A/N: A visit back to their first anniversary in the meadow. (Chapter 14 of "Marriage is Just an Adventure into Madness") You don't need to read it, but it will explain to you how they get to where they are. This one has been calling to me for a while now. This and 2 other challenges in my head. So much for this story being on hiatus…

Also, it's been forever since I've mentioned that I own nothing here. I think it's pretty obvious, but I don't want to offend the folks that actually own the Alice in Wonderland universe. I mean no harm. I just mean for Alice and Tarrant to get down every now and then. *eg*

* * *

Once Tarrant pushed me back onto the blanket, he began kissing me passionately. I couldn't believe we were about to do this … here.

"Hatter, are you sure we're alone here?"

He began to work his way down my neck and pushed the strap of my sundress off my shoulder.

"I'm absolutely sure, cricket. I've taken many precautions to make sure no one will be around for this. Besides …" He kissed my shoulder and then went over to the other side. He pushed the other strap down and pulled my dress down a bit, exposing my chest. "… I wouldn't want anyone but me to see your perfect body."

He kissed me again and began to caress me gently.

Tarrant sighed. "Yehr gorgeous. Simply amazin'."

"Darling, you realize you've now pinned my arms down."

"Nae, Ah dinnae realize tha'. But since yeh mentioned it … Ah think Ah like it." His eyes darkened instantly and he leaned down to take a breast into his mouth.

I arched my back at the fantastic sensations. I wanted to thread my hands into his wild hair, but the dress straps had me effectively trapped.

"Tarrant," I half-moaned, half-whined.

He smirked at me and only switched his mouth to the other side. But today, I wanted to take the lead a little.

"Hatter…" I whimpered.

"All right, luv." He pulled my dress down my body and tossed it to the side, leaving me only in my knickers and sandals.

Once my arms were free, I flipped us over so I was more on top.

"Alice?" he asked.

"My turn." I unfastened his pants and pulled them and his drawers down quickly, before he could protest.

"Alice!"

"Hush," I commanded as I took his length into my hand.

His head fell back and I knew I was winning. As I slid my hand up and down, his hands began to reach for me.

I used my other hand to swat his away.

"Ah, ah, ah! I didn't get to touch you, so you don't get to touch me."

He wanted to glare at me, but couldn't seem to muster it with what my hand was currently doing to him.

Suddenly I decided if I was going to play this game, I was going to take it all the way. I shimmied down his body and took a long lick at his hardness.

A string of Outlandish words came from him and I wasn't sure it was a phrase at all. Just random words was all his mind could produce.

Feeling quite empowered, I took him into my mouth and sucked ever so gently.

"Lass! Ah cannae take anymore! Ah have teh make love teh yeh and Ah have teh do it now."

I sucked even harder in protest and his head fell back again. I licked a bit and then Tarrant's control snapped. "Ah need teh have yeh now!" He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me up.

Tarrant rolled us back over and pulled my knickers down. His fingers danced around my core before plunging in.

"My sweet Alice, yeh're so wet," he murmured in my ear. "Tha's mah girl."

I moaned his name and his eyes darkened even more.

"Bonnie lass. Yehr so beautiful when yehr like this. So ready for meh. Makin' those little noises that just drive meh to the brink."

"Tarrant, please." I couldn't believe how he was taking things so slow. Each pump of his fingers pushed me closer to the edge, but I wanted him and I wanted him now.

"Wha' do yeh need, my luv?"

I grabbed the collar of his shirt, the only clothing he was wearing now, and kissed him hard. "I need you. Now!"

"In a moment, pet. But first…" His thumb began to make circles around my nub. I shattered almost instantly.

"Good God, Tarrant," I screamed.

I just started to come down from that, when he got a sinful look in his eyes. He quickly kissed his way down my body and took a long slow lick at my center. His mouth found the bundle of nerves and sucked hard as his fingers in me curled and moved.

I couldn't even get his name out as I screamed this time. He licked his lips and smiled at me.

"Ready?" he asked.

"I have been!" I replied breathlessly.

He entered me slowly. "Oh Alice. Sweet Alice. Champion Alice. Yeh feel so good," he whispered as he began to move.

I felt sure that this wouldn't last long, but Tarrant had other ideas. He stopped.

"Hatter?"

"Poppet, today is about yeh and Ah plan teh make this about yeh as well."

"But this is our anniversary. It should be about _us_."

"And 'tis. In case yeh dinnae notice, Ah'm here too." He moved just enough to make his point.

"Oh I noticed."

"Good. But yeh've done so much for meh that Ah want teh give yeh everything today. So Ah plan on breakin' mah record."

My eyes widened. His record was making me come 3 times during one lovemaking.

"Tarrant, I don't know if I can handle that."

"Well, let's find out."

He bent to kiss me again and then quickly moved to my pulse point. He thrust hard as he sucked on my neck. I could feel the sensations building already as he kept pushing in me. And as if that wasn't enough, his hand came up to my breast and circled my nipple. That was my undoing and I shattered once again.

"Three," he whispered with such a wicked tone to his voice.

I moaned my appreciation and was ready again almost immediately with his tone and the implication.

He began moving quickly, desperate for his own release after experiencing that with me.

We moved together and our names filled the meadow. One last suck to my pulse point and Tarrant broke his record, and he followed me over the edge.

As we lay there panting, I was ever so grateful for such a selfless man. He always was saying that he wanted to give me everything since I had done so much for him. Why couldn't he recognize all he did for me?

"I love you, Tarrant," I whispered, as I played with a strand of his hair.

"And I love you, dearheart."

"So, broke your record."

He propped his head up on his hand and looked so smug. "Yes. Yes I did. And I look forward to some day doing it again." His lopsided grin made my heart melt.

"You're amazing. I never imagined a life like this. I always dreaded marriage, for fear I would end up with some stuffy, unimaginative bore. But you, dear husband, are anything but."

"I can't thank you enough for allowing me to be your husband. It's an honor. And it means I get to do such wicked things to you," he said, waggling his bushy eyebrows at me.

"Naughty!" I said, laughing. "But I must say, Hatter, you have thoroughly worn me out. I think I'm ready for a nap."

I was only half-joking, but I didn't realize that my always prepared Hatter was ready for this too.

"We have time for that, beloved." He reached over behind the picnic basket and grabbed two pillows. I hadn't even noticed them.

We got dressed (despite his precautions, whatever they were, I didn't want to get caught sleeping nude), and cuddled up together.

"I love you, husband," I muttered as I already began to fall asleep.

"Alice, you are my life. And I love you, sweet wife."

"Have you made a rhyme?" I whispered.

He just giggled as sleep began to claim him as well.

* * *

A/N: Ok, it's a bit shorter than I would have liked, but I didn't need any set up since the chapter in the other story did that for me.

Also, for those of you playing along from the last chapter, the quote from the original script was: "You almost made me forget what I had sworn to do." Though, if we're being completely technical, the actual line was: "You could almost make me forget what I have sworn to do."

Gold stars to Ngoc Chau and ilovetarrant.


	8. The Workshop

A/N: I expected to be having all these ideas for my other story and now it seems as though Alice and Tarrant just want to play. *eg* Ah, well. That's how it goes.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all my amazing reviewers. Please leave comments and let me know what you think. They really are a simple gift you can give an author. And I reply to all of them, so tell me what's on your mind!

Also, this chapter is dedicated to foxgoddess07 who suggested this location. (I think someone else might have as well. If you did, let me know so I can give you credit as well!)

* * *

I was taking a vacation day from the plans I was making for a library and all the work I was putting into the rebuilding of Tarrant's home village. It was nice to just have a moment to myself. Charlotte was playing tag in the gardens with Bayard and Bielle's newest litter of puppies and begged to stay a little longer. It was so hard to deny those pleading eyes and those firey curls, so I let her.

I wandered down to Tarrant's workshop. I don't think I even meant to end up there, I was just walking. But when I realized where I ended up, I was pretty happy.

I knocked, but I opened the door before he could answer.

"Alice, love, thank you for visiting!" he called, not even looking up from the hat he was working on.

"How did you know it was me?" His back was turned to me after all.

He shrugged and finally turned and looked at me. "I felt you come in." Hatter smiled at me and beckoned me closer. "Come see what I'm working on for Lady Marchelle."

It was a beautiful lavender hat. One that I could see he was proud of. The lacework on it was exquisite.

"Hatter, it's wonderful. She'll adore it."

"I do hope so. So, what brings you to my humble workshop?"

"To be honest, I don't know. Lottie is with Bayard's family and I took a walk. It brought me here."

"Yes, wandering can do that. Well, for what it's worth, I'm thrilled to see you. Perhaps I'll take a break and we'll have some tea?"

At that point, I don't know what happened. I do know that just as Tarrant put his own hat back on his head, he looked deliciously handsome.

I raced to him and kissed him with all the emotion that had suddenly grabbed me. Once we were out of breath, he pulled back to look at me. His eyes were already beginning to darken.

"Alice, wha's gotten inteh yeh?"

Oh, that accent… Didn't he know what he did to me with that bloody brogue?

"I love it when you work."

"Luv, Ah work ev'ry day."

"Shut up."

I pulled him back to me and started kissing him again. He put up no protest and wove his fingers into my hair. Our lips and tongues danced and our moans almost became one. The connection we shared was amazing.

Before I knew what was happening, Tarrant was unfastening the buttons down the back of my dress. He was sneaky like that. He pulled it away from me and I pulled my arms out. The bottom of my dress remained on, but Tarrant's hands began to caress my chest. As he lightly pinched my nipple, I broke the kiss and gasped, tossing my head back.

He laughed softly and moved his mouth to my throat. Just as I thought my knees would get too weak to hold me up, Tarrant bent just a bit, wrapped his arms tightly around my waist and stood, lifting me just enough to wrap my legs around his waist. He never stopped kissing my neck as he sat me gently on the work table.

"'ave Ah ever told yeh how much Ah've wanted teh have yeh on this very table?" he asked huskily.

"Actually, no."

"Well, Ah 'ave. Ah'll be workin' down 'ere, all alone, and suddenly Ah'll think abou' yeh walkin' through tha' door. Much like yeh just did."

"And then what?"

"Ah'll show yeh."

He tugged at my skirts, leaving me only in my knickers, socks and shoes.

"_Tha gaol agam ort_," he whispered.

"_Tha gaol agam ort-fhèin_," I replied as he took a nipple into his mouth. I almost couldn't finish my own sentence with the sensation.

He peppered my breasts with kisses. "Ah'll be honest …" kiss "… Ah never expected this …" kiss "… teh e'er happen."

"Oh, it's happening," I muttered. "Hatter, please… Hatter?" I asked.

He seemed to be ignoring me with his attention to my chest. I didn't completely mind, but at the same time, I certainly _needed_ him to move things along.

"Ah mean…" kiss "tis no' as though yeh …" kiss "ofen 'ave th' time teh visit meh…" kiss "and …"

"Hatter…" I prodded. "Tarrant!" It was like he was kiss-babbling. "_Klotchyn_!" I said sharply to get his attention.

His head snapped up and his eyes met mine. "Sorry, I'm fine," he squeaked. Then added, "I've never heard that word with that connotation."

"I should hope not."

He smirked and kissed me again. I ground my hips against his and earned a groan from him.

"You're over-dressed," I murmured against his lips as I began untying his ascot.

"No time," he moaned, unfastening his pants. He shoved them and his shorts down his legs and then fiddled with my knickers. I nodded my approval and he hurriedly pulled them down my legs.

Tarrant made a move to sweep his work table clean and then spotted the hat he was working on. He picked it up and gently moved it to the smaller table.

"No sense ruining hard work," he said and then swept everything else off. I gasped as materials, thread and flowers went flying.

"Lay back, my beloved," he whispered, pushing me gently back.

I did as he asked. I couldn't help but smile as I thought of another place we were finally making our own. Before I could say anything to Tarrant, I suddenly felt his thimbled thumb making circles around my bundle of nerves.

"Hatter!" I cried.

"Shhh, luv. Yeh don' want th' whole castle teh hear yeh," he said as he slipped a finger within me.

I bit my lip to keep from screaming again, especially when he added a second finger and began pumping even faster.

"Alice, mah perfect Alice. Yeh're so ready fer meh. Ah love this. Tis e'en better than Ah imagined, yeh all spread out on mah table. So much more gorgeous than any hat Ah could ev'r make."

"Hatter, please," I whimpered.

"Nae need teh beg. Ah'm more than happy," he said as he thrust into me.

We both moaned louder than we wanted and instantly got wide eyed. I blushed at just the thought of someone hearing us in here.

"We're all righ'," he said. "'ardly anyone comes down this way. Too close to our own chambers."

He was right, but at the same time, I hated the thought.

"Forget about it, cricket. Just think about us." He thrust again and I forgot about what I was worried about. All my brain could register was the wanton feelings that Tarrant was giving to me. I could barely believe that we were making love, here, in his workshop of all places!

With the position I was in, I could literally only lay back and enjoy what was happening, but it was amazing. Tarrant seemed even more magnificent here in his workshop, where he made his wonderful creations. He was in his element in two ways now. And he was _very_ good at both.

I moaned his name and he smiled at me.

"Poppet, thank yeh so much fer visitin'," he said, panting and gripping my hips tighter.

"If this is how you'll greet me when I visit … oh! … then I'll definitely be back!"

He chuckled a little and pushed harder. His movements began to get faster and I knew he was getting close. Tarrant brought his thumb with that glorious thimble back and I shattered instantly, covering my mouth to muffle my scream of ecstasy. Not long after, Hatter followed me over the edge and collapsed on top of me.

"Goodness, love. That was the best tea break I've ever had," he said as he looked up and smiled at me.

"Indeed."

"Do you think we have time for actual tea?"

"Probably quickly. You clean this mess up, and I'll get it ready."

Hatter helped me stand up and we hurriedly got dressed. He began to clean up the mess of scattered fabrics and such and I worked on the tea.

Just as we sat down, there was a scratching sound at the door and a howl. Bayard.

We gave each other a look that said, "Whew!" and Tarrant went to answer the door.

"Bayard! Great to see you, chap!"

"And you, Tarrant. I'm just bringing back your little one."

Charlotte bounded through the door.

"Mummy! Daddy! I just had the best time with the puppies!"

"I'm so glad to hear it, sweetheart," I told her as she leapt into my lap.

Bayard took a few steps into the room and sniffed. Then sniffed again, this time a little deeper. He stopped very suddenly then looked at Tarrant and raised an eyebrow. Tarrant blushed deeply and Bayard chuckled.

"Almost brought her back a bit too soon, eh?" the dog muttered.

"Aye. Too close for comfort," Hatter whispered.

"I'll keep my ears open a bit more next time."

Now it was my turn to blush.

"Well, maybe not," Bayard said, obviously trying to hold in his laughter at our embarrassment. "I should be off now. Must get back to Bielle and the pups. It was lovely to see you, Alice."

"Always a pleasure, Bayard," I said.

"Tarrant."

"Thank you for bringing her back," Tarrant said.

"Never a problem. Fairfarren, Charlotte!"

"Byebye, Bayard!"

Tarrant closed the door behind Bayard and joined us at the table.

"At least he didn't hear us," he said.

I could only cover my eyes at the awkwardness.

"Next time, we make sure that door is locked!" was all I could reply.


	9. After the First Fight

A/N: Boy, the ideas just keep turning up for this story. Completely unexpected for me. I thought this would be a chapter or two and now I'm looking at 10-12. Again, I blame you guys! ;-) Love you all!

So, I have to ask, are you guys not enjoying this story as much? I've noticed a drop in reviews and just need to know if I'm doing something wrong. I don't want to sound whiny, but reviews seriously make an author's day! The favorites and alerts are fantastic, please don't get me wrong! But could I please ask you folks to leave reviews too? The paranoia is setting in…

This one takes place right after the fight of Chapter 8 of "Marriage is Just an Adventure into Madness" (First Fight).

* * *

We went into the house after the big fight. I was ashamed of how I acted and I could see that Tarrant was as well. At least he had the madness to blame, I was just cranky.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked.

"I just acted like such a baby," I said sadly. "I can't believe I just blew up at you like that."

"Alice, it's perfectly fine. I understand that you've been tired and it's been hard on you since you've been back here in Underland."

"But I'm home now…" I started to protest.

"Yes, but it's an adjustment nonetheless. Cricket, you've spent almost 20 years in the Otherworld. And you've only been back to Underland for not even two months. Not to mention, well, we've been tired lately."

He waggled his eyebrows at me and made me laugh.

"There's that smile I love. So, you see, there is nothing to apologize for. I'm the one that overreacted. And the tea set paid the price."

"To be honest, Tarrant, I've been dying to buy some new pieces. I've never been a fan of that stuff out there."

His jaw dropped. "But those were lovely pieces!"

"'Were' being the correct word. They were all chipped and broken anyway."

He looked like he wanted to contradict me, but couldn't.

"Well, I suppose you're right. And I certainly don't want to get into another argument about those tea tables. I have other plans for you, Lady Hightopp!"

"Oh do you, Lord Hightopp?"

"Big plans!"

He scooped me up into his arms and ran up to the bedroom, laughing like a madman the whole way, making me giggle along with him.

Tarrant closed the door behind us with his foot and laid me gently on our bed. He joined me and looked at me with such love in his eyes that I almost melted right there.

"And what are these big plans?" I asked as innocently as I could.

"Well, you see, I became quite angry outside and I am very regretful for my actions."

"Are you now, sir? And just what do you plan to do to make amends for such regretful actions?"

His eyes darkened into his deep, lustful emerald.

"Ah feel as tho' Ah need teh apologize, formally, lass," he replied, his Outlandish brogue deep.

"And what does a formal apology look like in Underland?"

"Well, yeh see, it can take many forms. This 'un in particular is just one that Ah'll only be showin' yeh in the privacy o' our home."

I shivered at the idea of that.

"It sounds quite wanton," I said, already starting to get breathless.

"Aye."

He placed a hand on my cheek and bent to kiss me so sweetly. Any kiss with him was amazing, whether it be heated and passionate, or just something as chaste and sweet as this. His love was obvious in any case.

But not surprisingly, that kiss became more and more ardent and his hand began to move down my neck. It settled on my breast and I almost jumped out of my skin.

"Sensitive, poppet?" he whispered.

"Apparently," I said, pulling him back to me.

Tarrant continued caressing me gently and felt around the front of my dress.

"Front buttons, thank goodness," he murmured into the kiss and began to unbutton my outfit. "Ah think from now on, yeh should only wear things tha' fasten in the front."

He leaned back a bit to open my dress. "Or nothin' at all. Tha' would be fine with meh as well."

Before I could reply to that, he leaned forward quickly and took a nipple into his mouth. I gasped and gripped the quilt at the sensation. I could feel him smiling as his tongue swirled around. He sucked just a little and began to stroke the other, causing me to think I was going to rip the blanket under me.

"If this is how yeh react, Ah think we shoul' fight more of'en," he giggled.

"If you don't be quiet, we're going to fight right now."

"Mah minx," he growled.

Tarrant blew a tiny puff of air on my wet nipple and I moaned his name.

"Yeh say mah name in th' best ways, lass. Yeh can make meh so hard just hearin' yeh."

I reached down to the front of his pants and found that he was very right.

"Mercy, woman!" he groaned at the contact. "Yeh give meh too much credit fer mah control."

"Then lose control," I purred.

I saw the green of his eyes mix a little with some gold and felt a shiver of excitement. I knew there was no way he would ever hurt me, so I was ready for whatever he had for me.

He quickly pulled the dress away from me and my arms. I wasn't sure, but I was fairly certain that he ripped it in the process. Before I could even consider it more, his mouth was firmly attached to my breast again.

"Hatter," I panted after a few sucks. "I'm already half un-clothed. Catch up!"

His toothy grin had an added wickedness to it that made me shiver. I've never seen him disrobe so quickly. Before I knew it, he was stark naked.

"Now who needs teh be catchin' up, mah sweet lass?"

"I don't see you doing anything about it."

Never would I have guessed that Tarrant's eyes could change so rapidly. They flew between the lustful dark green, the mad gold and even a fleck or two of the truly mad orange. It made me almost swoon.

In an instant, the rest of my dress was sailing through the air. Tarrant ran his fingers along the waistline of my knickers, waiting for my approval.

"Just get the bloody things off of me," I commanded.

Another swift eye color change.

_That_ article of clothing I was sure he ripped, as the scraps fluttered to the floor.

"Much better," he whispered as his fingers danced around the apex of my legs. He fiddled with my curls there, but did nothing else.

"Hatter," I whined.

"Love, be patient with meh. Ah told yeh tha' Ah wanted teh apologize properly. Let meh do tha'."

Properly. Surely this proper apology could come with a bit more speed!

Finally his fingers dipped within me and Tarrant's breath hitched. He muttered something in Outlandish and looked up at me with a predatory grin.

"So ready so soon, mah luv?"

"Tarrant, I'm so ready. Please!"

"Ah, ah, ah. Not until Ah've made amends."

I wanted to scream. Surely as the one being apologized to, I could decide when enough was enough … right?

Wrong.

As one finger finally … slowly … entered me, I felt my husband's thumb barely caress my sensitive bundle of nerves.

I groaned my appreciation at finally moving forward a little.

"Eager?" he teased.

"Annoyed," I replied.

"Oh dear. Ah may need teh apologize some more later."

I wanted to roll my eyes, but instead they rolled back into my head as Tarrant added another finger and pressed even harder with his thumb.

"Tarrant!" I cried.

"Aye, beloved?"

"Now! I need you now!"

His brogue disappeared for a second as he regarded my request. "Oh, all right. If you really must end all the fun, then I suppose I can move things along a bit. Though, I must admit that I figured this would go on for –"

"Hatter!" I interrupted as I grabbed his length and stroked.

His eyes got wide and he barely squeaked out, "Thank yeh."

I wasn't completely sure if he was thanking me for the interruption, or my touch … or both. Either way, I was finally about to get what I was waiting for.

He swung his leg over me and filled me in one swift motion. I gasped and tossed my head at the wonderful sensation

"Oh, mah sweet, bonnie Lass. I swear teh yeh, yeh feel even more amazin' each time Ah'm in yeh."

"Tarrant," I groaned, barely recognizing my own voice.

I expected him to move slowly. He usually liked to drag this out. However, when he slammed back into me, I was completely taken by surprise. I gasped as he spread my legs wider and got even deeper within me.

"Now this …" I said, trying to catch my breath. "… This will get you forgiven!"

"Glad teh 'ear it," he panted.

Every push within me was lifting me higher. I felt like I was going to split into two and fly all at the same time. Tarrant was relentless in his thrusts and I was mesmerized by his eyes. They were so dark I would almost have called them black, but I could still see the golden speckles that showed the madness was enjoying this just as much as I was.

I knew I was close and could tell by the way his movements were becoming erratic that he was as well.

"Alice, Ah know yeh're ready. We need teh do this toge'her, dearheart."

I nodded, no words available to me.

Hatter bent to kiss me. He reached between us and the second he touched me, I shattered, screaming his name into his mouth. He followed right behind me and soon enough, he collapsed onto me. His weight a welcome blanket.

"So, 'ave Ah made amends?" he asked, still in his brogue, which made me think he enjoyed apologizing just as much as I enjoyed accepting that apology.

"Hatter, my darling, you are forgiven. China tea sets be damned!"

He gave me my favorite grin and I knew everything was fine. I knew that any time we would fight, we would always make up. And if this was how we made up … well, maybe fighting wasn't such a bad thing.

"Now, cricket, let's talk about your next hat."

I could only smile.


	10. Sorry, He's Tied Up at the Moment

A/N: Ok, many of you have requested that there be a chapter where Alice takes charge and Tarrant doesn't get to pleasure her. We'll see where they take us!

This will take place a bit after the chapter where Tarrant explained his scars.

* * *

It had been a few weeks since I learned how Tarrant received each of his scars. It was a painful experience for both of us, but also brought us healing for such a vicious past. We were finally able to just put it behind us and move forward. But something bothered me.

I wanted that night to go differently. I expected Tarrant to be rough with his newly expressed aggressions. Or I expected to find a moment to "torture" him myself. Neither happened. Instead, Tarrant was reverent with me, grateful to be with me. He was always like that, always worshiping me.

Well, tonight was going to be different.

I could never (and would never) deny that my husband was a giving man. He was probably the least selfish person I knew. But sometimes it was trying! Sometimes I wanted to give and he wouldn't let me. I knew it was just his way and that it was actually a very good thing and that I should probably just enjoy it. But on the other hand, it seemed to contradict my need to not just take the womanly roles in life. Hang it all, I was going to take control tonight!

That morning, I went to Mirana, knowing that I could tell her anything. I appreciated knowing that she was a newlywed now and would finally at least somewhat understand my sexual plight. I didn't go into great detail, but she told me that I should completely go with my plan. She offered to watch the children for a few hours and I was very grateful. I didn't like to get others involved, but it just wouldn't do for Will to need us or God forbid, for Charlotte to walk in.

After dinner, Tarrant obviously questioned why Lottie and Will were going with Mirana and Landrew and not us.

"Because you and I have plans," I simply stated.

"We do?" I could hear the fear in his voice that he had forgotten something important, like a birthday or anniversary.

"Yes. You and I are having some time."

His eyes darkened a bit, just enough for me to notice.

"Is there an occasion?"

"Yes, you could say that."

"And I did. Care to answer?"

I tugged on his ascot to make him start walking back to our chambers.

"I did. You asked if there was an occasion and I said there is."

He frowned, knowing that I had him there.

"Fine. What is the occasion?"

"You'll see."

Once we finally got back to our room, I sat him on the bed.

"Tarrant, I need you to trust me tonight. I have no intentions of doing anything you don't want to do, but there is something I want to try."

His eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"What exactly are you talking about, cricket?"

"Well, I want to pleasure you tonight and I don't want you getting in the way."

"Alice, I'm always pleasured when we're together."

"No, this is different. You either stop me or you just take care of me altogether."

"Do you not like that?"

"Oh trust me, husband, I'm not complaining about that. You do what you do quite well." I shivered involuntarily. "Very well. But tonight is about you and I know I can't trust you to just let me do what I want."

"Meaning …?"

I reached over to the night stand and pulled out a scarf very similar to the one wrapped around his hat. His eyes widened.

"Alice … I …"

"Now, we don't have to if you don't want to, or if you don't trust me."

"No, no! I trust you with my life, so it's certainly not that. It's just that … well, I've been bound before… and …"

"Tarrant, this is another reason why I want to do this. I want to erase that. I want to torture you … _my way_."

Now he shivered.

"Lass, Ah trust yeh wit' mah heart, mah soul, mah life. Of course Ah trust yeh wit' mah body. Ah cannae guarantee tha' Ah'll let yeh finish what yeh want. But Ah'm willin' teh let yeh try."

"Thank you, Hatter."

"Nae, tis Ah who shou' be thankin' yeh. Yeh're always thinkin' of things fer me. I luv tha' abou' yeh."

I smiled. "Good. Now get those clothes off, mister."

He smirked and began to disrobe.

"And when'll yehr clothes be comin' off?"

"When it's time."

Soon enough, he had all his clothes off and I instructed him to lay down.

"Now, if you get too uncomfortable, let me know and we'll stop immediately."

He nodded nervously and I began to wrap the scarf around his wrists. Once they were tied together above his head, I tied that to the headboard.

"Still all right?" I asked.

"Aye. Ah trust yeh."

"Good. Now I'm free to remove my clothes."

I slowly undid the buttons on the front of my dress, watching his eyes darken as I pulled it apart, but not enough to show anything. I ran my fingers back up my chest and up to my shoulders to pull the dress away from me. Once I had my arms out, I held the dress against me. He growled in anticipation.

"Eager, my love?"

"Aye," he choked out.

"No corsets make for things to be so much easier," I whispered as I let the top half of my dress fall. His body gave away just how eager he was.

I began to fiddle with the waist of my dress now, inching it down my hips. I turned and bent as I pulled it down the rest of my legs.

"Oh, Alice," he moaned. Drinking in the sight of me and my knee high socks and knickers.

"Do you like what you see, sir?" I asked over my shoulder.

"Lass, yeh've got teh hurry this up."

"No, I don't. Tonight is about your torture. I'm going to have you screaming, Lord Hightopp."

A string of Outlandish words followed and I can't repeat what they meant.

I leisurely pulled my knickers down and stood before him in just my socks.

"Now, I think we can begin."

His emerald eyes became even darker and the flecks of gold appeared as well. We were both in for it tonight.

I climbed onto the bed and ran my fingers down his chest, then I swung my leg over him and straddled him, but not where he wanted me.

"My sweet Alice, Ah dannae think Ah can take this."

"You can. Just enjoy it for once. Trust me, you'll still get what you want in the end."

I bent to kiss him and then kissed my way to his neck. I kissed and gently sucked my way to his collar bone. He moaned and I reveled in the noise. Once I got to a place that would be covered by his clothes, I sucked hard, marking his pale skin.

"To remind you who you belong to," I said.

"Ah ne'er need a reminder. Mah heart already kens."

I smiled and continued my assault on his neck, licking and nipping all over. Tarrant's groans and panting breaths let me know that things were still fine with him. Finally, I continued down his chest, paying quick attention to his nipples and made my way down to his waist.

"I do believe you're enjoying yourself, Hatter."

He just looked at me, trying to figure out my next move.

I smirked as I ran my finger up his length and watched his whole body shudder in pleasure. Feeling quite emboldened, I gently grabbed it and began stroking.

His hands balled into fists as his face twisted. "Ah wan' teh touch yeh."

"No, darling. You don't get to touch me yet. This is all about you."

He pouted a bit and I could tell he wanted to say something. I decided the best way to shut his mouth would be to use mine. I slowly licked my way from the base of his hardness all the way to the tip and then back down again.

The Outlandish words that followed were also nothing I could repeat.

I kissed my way back up and then took him into my mouth. Swirling my tongue and sucking gently, I was surprised to feel just how turned on I was getting from this. I began to think that I would have to hurry things up for both of our sakes.

"Alice!" he shouted as I sucked a bit harder. "For th' love o' Underland, lass!"

"Hmmm?" I asked, not realizing how my humming question would affect him. His hips bucked and I was afraid the game was over before I was ready for it to be.

"Luv, Ah dannae want teh finish this in yehr mouth. Ah need teh be in yeh. Please!"

"Well, since you asked so nicely."

After placing one last kiss on his tip, I sat up and positioned myself over his hardness. As I sank onto it, his sigh of appreciation was almost a shout.

"Yehr so wet. Alice, Ah need yeh teh move."

"Maybe that's not part of the plan."

"Plan? Sweetness, if'n th' plan is teh kill me wit' anticipation, then yehr doin' a great job."

I rocked my hips and watched his eyes widen and his mouth fall open.

"I certainly have no intentions of killing you, darling. I do, however, plan on making this memorable."

"Poppet, don' worry about meh forgettin' this any time soon. Ah'll be rememberin' how bonnie yeh look there atop o' meh, yeh temptress."

I rocked my hips again.

"Yeh _evil_ temptress!"

I bent again to suck the same spot I had already marked.

"Alice!" he cried out again. It wasn't enough though. This wasn't going to be over until he screamed, like I had already told him.

I moved again, but very slowly and deliberately.

"If Ah had mah hands free, Ah'd be guidin' yehr hips for yeh, yeh ken," he sighed, tugging at the scarf.

"I do know. And that, love, is why you do not have your hands free. I told you what tonight would entail. Enjoy it."

His hips began moving, trying to get me to move with them. I decided to take pity on him. I really had actually dragged this out longer than I expected. I put my hands on either side of his shoulders and began to move in the rhythm we were used to. He picked up on it instantly and moaned loudly.

"Tha's wot Ah needed, lass. Ohhhh."

"Now, now," I panted. "I believe I said I was going to make you scream. That certainly didn't sound like one."

I slammed my hips down and earned, "Mercy, woman!"

"I'm going to speed this up now. You'd better give it up, Hightopp."

The gold flecks in his eyes began to get bigger and he pulled at the scarf again. I knew I was probably playing with fire. But I couldn't care.

As I fell back into pace, I found just the way to make him whine and to hit my own bundle of nerves. Soon enough, I was whimpering and hoping my plan wouldn't fail.

"Hatter …"

"Oh, oh dear, Alice, sweet Alice …" and then it happened. He screamed my name. Louder than I had ever heard, he practically roared it. And as he flew over the edge, I gratefully followed him, calling his name as well.

I collapsed on top of him and smiled.

"Now was that so difficult?" I teased.

"Minx. Now, may Ah 'ave mah hands back?"

"Oh! Yes, I suppose you can." I reached up and untied him. His arms instantly went around me.

"Alice, tha' was amazing. Ah cannae believe we just did tha'."

"Be honest, if I hadn't tied your hands, would you have let me do all that?"

"Nae," he replied softly. "Ah cannae help it. Ah just want teh do everythin' for yeh."

"I know, my love. But sometimes you have to let me do for you."

The gold flecks began to disappear and his sweet lisp came back.

"I know. This taught me a good lesson. And I certainly have a new opinion of having my hands bound."

His eyebrows waggled at me and I knew everything was fine.

"You really are my miracle," he whispered.

"And you are mine."

"I love you, dearheart."

"I love you, too, Hatter."

We lay like that for quite a while before Tarrant raised a hand and then finally spoke.

"It's a good thing I have such lacey cuffs on my shirt. I'd hate for anyone to see the red marks on my wrists."

I could only blush.


	11. The Night of the Vow Renewal

A/N: I really thought I was done with this story. 10 is a nice round number, after all. But after writing the vows renewal and the saving of the Hightopps, well, Alice and Tarrant wanted to celebrate. So, there will probably be another one after this. *sigh*

This takes place right after Alice and Tarrant renew their vows in London with her family. A beautiful wedding (even the second one) deserves a wedding night. And these two are certainly no exception!

* * *

He carried me up to my old room, through the mirror back to Underland and tossed me playfully onto our bed in our chambers. He made doubly sure that the mirror was locked on our side, at least for now.

"Sir, I must confess something to you," I said with a coy look. He raised an eyebrow at me. "I'm no longer a virgin."

"Hmmm, well, lass, tha' just means that Ah don' 'ave teh be gentle with yeh."

My eyes widened a bit and he gave me the gap-toothed grin that always melted my heart.

"Nae, just like our first wedding night, tonight is abou' … worshippin' … my … wife."

He punctuated each word with a kiss to my forehead, my nose, my lips and my throat.

I muffled my moan a bit, a habit born of having children in our chambers.

"Love, th' _bairns_ are with yehr mother. They're another world away. Ah ken yeh can do better than tha'." He sucked right on my pulse point and drew a much louder moan from me.

"Tha's my girl," he whispered in my ear. "Now, if memory serves meh correctly, Ah'll need teh be unbuttonin' yehr dress an' there are quite a few. An' since Ah need teh get teh worshippin', Ah should get teh those buttons."

He stood up and helped me to stand as well. He turned me around and sighed. "Aye, just as many as Ah remember." But in spite of his whining, he made short work of the buttons and spun me back towards him.

I held the dress against my chest.

"Ah, ah, ah. If yeh're no' a virgin, then there's no use in such propriety." He pulled the dress away from me and let it fall to the floor. He groaned appreciatively. "Good God, Alice. Yehr th' most bonnie creature teh walk this ground."

I stood there in just my knickers. "Tarrant, I'm beginning to feel a bit underdressed here. Would you mind continuing soon? Or at least letting me help with that process."

"If th' lady wants teh help, Ah'll no' deny 'er."

We both began to work at removing his clothes. The jacket and waistcoat came off quickly enough, but all his shirt buttons proved to be the problem. Soon enough though, he was standing nude before me and playing with the waist of my knickers.

"Love, Ah think yeh're th' overdressed one now."

"What are you going to do about it?" I asked.

His eyes darkened almost past the emerald that made me shudder. Before I knew it, my knickers were on the floor and I was on the bed.

"My sweet, bonnie lass."

Tarrant began to lay down next to me and I used all the strength I could to flip us a bit so that I would be on top.

"Mah crafty, bonnie lass!" he cried in surprise.

"Mmm, maybe," I murmured as I kissed him soundly. Slowly, I worked my way down his jawbone and down his neck. I absolutely adored the little noises he would make as I had my way with him. The little moans and groans were such motivators for me to just keep it up.

I began to work my way down his chest and I loved the purr that seemed to shake his whole body.

"Enjoying yourself, love?" I asked innocently.

"Ah shou' ask yeh th' same thing, love. Yeh look like th' cat who caught th' canary."

I smiled as wickedly as I could and without warning, lowered myself further to take a long, slow lick at his manhood.

A string of Outlandish profanity followed. Thank goodness the children weren't home!

He hardened even further and I took that as my cue. I took him deep within my mouth. I knew this wouldn't last, it never did. So I worked quickly as I kissed and licked while I could. But it was no surprise that after a few well timed sucks, Tarrant grabbed my shoulders and pulled me back up to the pillows. I'll never know where this man gets his strength from, but I was even more turned on by it when I looked up into his eyes. Deep green with those pinpricks of gold.

"M'lass, if yeh keep tha' up…" Hard kiss … "then we'll ne'er get teh good part."

The accent was getting thicker and it was driving me mad. Tarrant suddenly began to kiss my throat and tenderly caress my breasts. "Tis be'n so long since Ah could do whate'er Ah wanted teh do teh yeh. Hear yeh make ev'ry noise Ah love teh hear yeh make. Tonight Ah want yeh screamin' my name. Wake th' queen if yeh have teh."

His words were working even better than his lips or his hands. I figured I could oblige him. But we would certainly set out slow. "Tarrant," I purred.

"'Tis a start," he murmured as he slithered down my body and took a nipple into his mouth.

"Oh, Hatter," I moaned.

"Gettin' there," he said in between licks and sucks all over my breasts. Each gentle movement of his radiated love from him. It was wonderful. His hand trailed down my body and to the place only he knew. "Alice, beloved, yeh're more ready than Ah think yeh e'er 'ave been!" I groaned at the quick contact. "But tha' lil noise wasnae mah name. Ah think Ah ken what'll do th' trick." Before I could ask what he was doing, he had pushed two fingers within me and was stroking my sensitive nub with a thimbled thumb.

"Tarrant!" I screamed.

"Mmmm, good girl. Ah think yeh need a reward fer tha'." His fingers began to work in and out of me. The delicious feeling was powerful and I couldn't hold back as another scream of his name flew from my lips.

"Mah Alice, sweet, sweet Alice. Hearin' mah name from yehr lips with tha' wanton tone is one of th' best things 'n life."

He lowered himself down my body and began to kiss back up my right leg. At the apex of my legs, he placed a gentle but firm kiss to my center, followed by a few long licks, before working his way back down my left leg.

"And what," I began in-between gasps, "Is another best thing in life?"

He looked up at me with an expression that was devilish, charming and loving all at the same time. It was classic Tarrant. Hatter began kissing up my body now and upon reaching my throat, he mumbled against my skin, "This."

And before I could realize what was happening, he had filled me.

"Good God, Tarrant!" I screeched as my back arched and my head flew back.

"Aye, love?" he asked innocently, stopping all movement.

I whimpered at the loss of motion. "Please, Hatter."

"Please what, love?"

I rolled my eyes, suddenly more annoyed than anything. "If you don't know then I'm certainly not –"

He quickly shut me up as he thrust deep within me.

"Is tha' what yeh were lookin' for?" he murmured against my skin.

"Oh yes," I moaned.

"Would yeh like som'more?"

I glared up at him, careful not to push my luck. If he saw just how frustrated I was, the teasing would just draw out. Evil Mad Hatter.

"I'm willing to take whatever you have to give, Tarrant," I practically growled.

"Whate'er?"

"Whatever."

And then he swiftly had both of my legs spread as wide as they would go. "Careful wha' yeh wish fer, love." He braced himself with his hands on either side of me and began moving relentlessly. It felt as though he hadn't been this deep in ages and I was loving every second of it.

I didn't even know what I was saying anymore. It sounded like a chant of "yes," and "Tarrant" and "more," but even I couldn't have been sure at that point.

"Alice," he panted. "When Ah'm within yeh, Ah'm home. Yeh ken tha', righ'? Mah heart is righ' 'ere wit' yeh."

"You are my heart, Tarrant," I breathlessly replied.

He smiled at me and snaked a hand between us.

"Are yeh ready, m'love?"

"Beyond ready! Please, Hatter!"

"Yehr wish is always m'command."

A few quick strokes to that beyond sensitive place and I felt as though I exploded as I tumbled over the edge, pulling him with me as well. We cried out each other's names and fell into a heap together.

"Now tha' … tha' was worth waitin' for," he said as he struggled for breath.

"Eight years?" I playfully asked, moving a haphazard orange lock of hair from his face.

"Eight, eighteen, eighty, aye, whate'er."

I knew it must have been good because the accent was still clear.

"I am a lucky woman," I sighed.

"Aye, an' Ah'm an e'en luckier man. Luckiest in any world. Ah've 'ad the privilege o' marrying th' most perfect woman, no' once, but twice! An' two weddin' nights! Lucky indeed."

I giggled. "Tarrant, calm down, or you'll be speaking with the accent for the rest of eternity."

"But yeh like it, so Ah wouldnae mind so much."

"But I like it for our alone time. Not when we're in the company of others."

He looked at me seriously, then closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. When he opened his eyes again, I saw the sparkling lime green that was the "normal" color. "Is that better, love?" he lisped.

"Yes, darling, it is. I adore that sweet lisp of yours just as much as your accent. Both make me swoon, but in completely different ways.

"I used to fear that you would be deathly afraid of the times I slip into Outlandish," he admitted. "It's not like your first experience with it was a good one."

"Chessur deserved it. And I've come to see the more … exotic uses of it. I appreciate the subtleties of what really is a beautiful language. And I mean that, not just because I find it to be so … invigorating in the bedroom."

He waggled his eyes at me. "Well, as long as you like it, I will certainly continue…" He grinned wickedly. "M' sweet, bonnie lass, wit' th' golden locks an' th' most perfect bosom in any realm."

"Flattery will get you nowhere right now, Lord Hightopp. _Yehr sweet bonnie lass_ is tired and frankly a bit sore now."

I could see that the manly pride within him wanted to boast about his prowess in bed and how he took his woman. But the gentleman won out as usual and instead he looked at me with concern. "Then we shall just lie here and sleep. Just like our first wedding night. I haven't been able to sleep in the nude with you in quite some time. I shall make the most of this opportunity."

My Hatter. Sweetest man alive.

"I love you, Tarrant," I whispered.

"I love you, as well, my beloved Alice."


	12. After Saving the Hightopps

A/N: So, I really have to apologize for those who are looking for an update to "Marriage is Just…" I have two different chapters started for that … but obviously not finished. And I REALLY need to beg for forgiveness for anyone waiting for "Love of a Lifetime" (though I doubt many of them are reading this too). What can I say? Alice and Tarrant shout the loudest these days.

Anyway… This takes place once the family returns from saving the Hightopps.

* * *

It had been a long day. A very, very long day and a stressful one at that. We had travelled back in time, dodged several firey bullets and rescued Tarrant's family. Not bad for a day's work.

All I really wanted to do was watch the children sleep for a bit and then fall into bed myself.

But Tarrant had different plans.

After changing from our armor, pulling on some simple clothes, watching our little dears sleep for a while and thinking about just how blessed we are, we wandered back to our bedroom.

I hadn't even begun to remove the top I had on, when I was suddenly pushed against the wall.

"Hatter!" I screeched in surprise.

"Yes, love?" he whispered as a hand snaked up my top.

"What on earth are you doing?"

"Beloved, we have two children and you have two almost full rooms of hats, I would think by now you would know what I am doing." His calloused hands began roaming all over my chest as his mouth latched on to my neck. I would definitely need something with a collar tomorrow to hide the mark he was deliciously making.

I moaned in spite of myself. "Fine, I know what you're doing. But shouldn't we … ahhh … get some sleep?"

"Sleep is for the weak and for couples who don't need to celebrate," he said as he switched sides of my neck.

"Well, I understand you want to celebrate, but is now really good? You're full of emotions right now and –"

"Alice, sweetness, I love you dearly, more than life itself, but do shut up," he said before claiming my mouth with his own.

Only one person in this realm or any other could tell me to shut up without repercussions. And only when he was doing these amazing things.

He kissed me without abandon, as if he was trying to put every drop of love, gratitude and adoration for me into that kiss. It was brutal and loving, all at the same time. His hand was stroking my breasts, while his other wound into my hair.

I prayed the children would be fast asleep as he kissed and nipped my neck, and circled my nipples with his thumb (for once, without a thimble).

"Tarrant," I moaned.

"Alice, you are amazing. You are perfection. You are nothing I could even come close to dreaming of. You are my life and my world and my heart…" He paused, catching his breath, trying to avoid slipping into a ramble. "There is no one who can do what you do to me. Yeh're th' very life blood w'thin my veins."

The Outlandish burr began to cover his words, just fueling my excitement of being pinned against the wall by this man.

"Yeh make my life balanced, yeh ken tha' don' yeh?"

I wanted to smile at him and tell him that I did know, but instead, I had a better idea. "Aye love, Ah ken wha' yeh mean. Yeh're th' center o' my world, Tarrant. Mah addiction."

Hearing me try to have my own accent threw him over the edge. He roughly grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. My fingers clutched his hair and I kissed him as hard as I could.

He continued to caress my chest, one breast for each hand. Alternating between palms and thumbs, I was blissfully lost in his ministrations.

"Oh, Tarrant …"

Soon enough, one hand abandoned my chest and began pulling my skirt up.

He gasped, breaking our kiss, when he found what I wasn't wearing under that skirt.

"And yeh dinnae wan' teh celebrate," he said with a raised eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes and breathlessly replied, "In my defense, I only tossed these clothes on after changing out of the armor. I wasn't expecting anything like this."

"Doesnae matta'. Ah'm lovin' it either way."

I took that break as an opportunity to get the shirt off of him immediately. The motion just made his hair all the more unruly and that just made me all the more excited.

He pressed me against the wall even harder as he lowered his mouth to my breast. He nipped, sucked and licked until I was biting my tongue to keep from screaming.

"Oh, cricket, 'ow Ah wish yeh coul' be makin' th' noises Ah wan' yeh teh be makin' … screamin' e'en."

"You know what they sound like," I whispered. "Imagine me screaming your name. Moaning my pleasures. I love you, Tarrant."

He groaned. "Sweetness, Ah love yeh more than Ah can say."

Hatter returned to what he was doing to my breasts and I sighed in delight. As his mouth continued at my chest, his hand pulled my skirt up again and slipped a finger down my folds.

My head made a _thunk_ against the wall as I tossed it back. I could feel him grinning wickedly against me.

He dropped to his knees in front of me and kissed my belly, never stopping the gentle stroking of my womanhood. I moaned again and was rewarded with the sight of him looking up at me with deep emerald eyes. I knew what would happen soon. These were the nights where the madness came out to play a bit as well. I never cared. In fact, I relished it a bit. I had absolute faith that Tarrant would never, ever hurt me, so it made me a little hot and bothered when it did happen.

The rakish smile on his lips told me everything I needed to know. It was a warning. Turn back now if you don't want this. As if I would turn it away! I gave a slight nod and his other hand held my hip tightly to the wall.

We locked eyes as the teasing finger entered me. I could barely blink as I was entrapped by his face. The gold flecks grew a bit, but never to a solid color. Tarrant had control, but he was relinquishing some of it to the mad side. His grin grew larger as another finger joined the first and the sinful feeling of him gliding them in and out of me was building fast.

"My luv, yeh're so wet fer me," he growled.

"See what you do to me…" I panted.

"Aye," he replied, still never breaking the eye contact.

I began to quiver and I knew I wasn't going to last long.

"Shall Ah 'elp th' lady out?" Hatter asked.

I knew he wanted me to beg. It was something he did often, but especially in times with the madness in play. There was a time where I would have found it demeaning and misogynistic, but with Tarrant, I didn't mind. We were very give and take in the bedroom and if it was what he wanted, then it was an easy wish to grant. He certainly gave to me as well.

"Yes, Tarrant, please. Oh please."

"Tha's mah girl." He circled the sensitive nub with his thumb and everything that was building was suddenly crashing around me.

Quick as lightning, he was on his feet and kissing me, yet still stroking, taking my scream of pleasure into his own mouth.

I slumped forward a bit and he caught me easily.

"Easy, lass. Don' wan' yeh teh pass out yet. Ah'm no' done wit' yeh yet."

He swept me into his arms and carried me to the bed. The perfect gentleman, even in situations like this, he gently laid me on the bed.

"May I 'ave yehr skirt, lass?"

"If I can have your pants, then yes."

"Fair 'nuf."

He pulled the skirt quickly down my legs and shoved his own pants down before I had a chance to do it myself. I noticed there was nothing underneath his pants.

"_Now_ who was ready to celebrate?" I teased.

"Well, m'dear, Ah'll admit that Ah did have th' ulterior motive fer no' wearing mah shorts. An' lucky me, mah plan is comin' toget'er. Quite nicely, Ah migh' add."

"Tarrant, are you going to boast about your motives and plans, or are you going to follow through with them and take me?"

I saw his eyes briefly flash all gold for just a moment. Apparently I had excited the madman as well.

"Yeh wan' me teh take yeh, eh?"

"Please, Tarrant! This is all for you. You've got emotions now that I wouldn't begin to know how to deal with. If this is what you need, then take what you need from me."

"Ah don' deserve such an angel as yehrself."

"We'll argue about that later. Right now, I need you. I want you and, frankly, I will have you one way or another."

"Is tha' wha' yeh think? Well, far be it from meh teh leave a lady disappointed." He pulled my legs apart quickly and settled in between them. He kissed me hard and moved down my throat.

"Mah luv," he murmured. "Ah fear things may get a wee bit rough tonight. Are yeh up fer tha'?"

"I'm up for whatever challenge you have."

"Is no' a challenge. It's a promise."

Before I knew it, he was sucking and caressing my breasts again. Alternating between gentle bites and hard licks was making me almost go mad.

Tarrant reached between us again and smirked. "Alice, yeh do wonders fer a man's self esteem. Ah luv 'ow wet Ah get yeh. Meh and only meh."

"Only you, Tarrant. For always."

His fingers began to pump within me again.

"More," I purred.

"Oh, yeh'll be gettin' more." He positioned himself on his knees and before I knew it, his fingers were gone, my legs were hooked over his shoulders and he staring down at me.

"Are yeh sure yeh're all right?" he asked.

I couldn't even speak an answer. He smiled a victor's smile and before I could say anything, he had filled me swiftly.

The cry of his name escaped before either of us could catch it from my mouth. He braced himself and began to move hard, fast and deep within me.

I panted and he moaned. I bit my thumb and he bit his lip. We were both so close but definitely couldn't scream the way we wanted to. I fear we would have woken the entire castle.

Tarrant sat back a bit on his knees and spread mine. He kept a hand on each one and resumed his thrusting, only this time, even deeper. I began to muffle my moans, but I desperately wanted to shout and scream.

Just then, Hatter ran a hand down my thigh and right to the bundle of nerves that was practically pulsating. A few well timed touches and I burst, taking him along with me.

After a moment to catch our breaths, he sat back completely and let my legs drop.

"Well, that was unexpected," I joked.

"Teh yoo, maybe," he said with a smile.

I giggled and closed my legs as he moved to lay next to me. "Though, I'll be feeling this one tomorrow. Ugh."

"I hurt you?" he said in a panicky tone, the brogue instantly gone.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Tarrant. I'm fine. I loved each and every bit of that. Now, I just need a bath, that's all." I stood up and began to walk to the washroom. I turned back and asked over my shoulder, "Care to join me?"

Like I had to ask. Before I knew it, he was ahead of me on the way to the bath.

A great day with a fantastic ending.


	13. Day of Lily's Birth

A/N: Sometimes I put a hint of a lovemaking session into a different chapter and then that scene begs to be written. This is one of them. It takes place the day Mirana gives birth to Lily (chapter 42 of "Marriage is Just an Adventure…").

* * *

After leaving Mirana and Landrew, I knew I couldn't go back to my office. The board of education meeting was the last thing I wanted on my plate.

"Sweetness, come back with me to my workshop. You can hide while I work on a few other things that I've been finishing," Tarrant told me.

Hiding out with my husband sounded like a perfectly wonderful idea, so I followed him back to the workshop, thinking maybe I could come up with meeting ideas while I was there. Though, once I walked through the door, I knew that I wouldn't be doing that. Watching Tarrant work was too fascinating to miss.

He showed me four different hats for the ladies of court and a lovely pink hat for Bethalynn as well. Each of them was nearly finished and just needed some accents for that final Hightopp touch.

"Now, this," he began "is one that needs some more work." He pulled out a drawing of a beautiful sunhat.

"Tarrant, this will be gorgeous."

"Yes, it will look lovely on you," he said with a smile.

"It's for me?"

"Yes, of course. But there are a few things that I just can't place for it. It's definitely not complete. There is a certain amount of _creativity_ that I'm missing for it …" He waggled his eyebrows at me and I sighed dramatically.

"Well, I know exactly the dress I would wear it with and I do adore the look of it already, so I suppose if I must, then I must. I shall inspire the artist."

He tossed the drawing on the table and grabbed my hips, pulling me close. "An' inspire yeh do, mah dearheart. Yeh make mah fingers itch teh touch yeh an' then make yeh hats like yeh've ne'er seen afore."

I knew why, obviously, but I always found it charming that hats put Tarrant in such a romantic mood. And how the reverse was true that making love made him want to make more hats. It was one of his quirky qualities that I adored.

My hands slid up his chest, up his face and finally grabbed his top hat. I plucked it from his head and stepped back to admire it once again. "It's a work of art, darling. All of your hats truly are."

"None are as fine as th' ones Ah make fer yoo, mah sweet Alice. Those are made with lace and love."

I smiled and placed his hat on top of the drawing. "Indeed. But if you want inspiration for the next one, you'll have to … catch it." And with that, I took off.

"Mah frisky one!" he shouted as he took off after me.

Knowing full well that I would be caught, I took the opportunity to loosen the laces of my dress. When he finally did catch me by the door and pressed me against it, I reached over and turned the key, locking it. He looked down at me, lust in his eyes, and noticed just how my bosom was threatening to spill from my bodice.

"Alice of perfection. There's a shortage o' perfect breasts 'n th' world … Ah'm so glad tha' yehrs coul'nae be included in tha'." Tarrant said as he pulled my dress apart and eagerly began to caress me. "Ah can see th' hat already, mah luv. But … Ah think Ah need more encouragement."

"Use me for it," I whispered.

The green in his eyes instantly darkened. It was a good thing my dress was already open or I think he would have torn it.

I reached up and attempted to take his coat off. He reluctantly moved his hands away from my chest to allow me to remove it. Not wanting to interrupt any further, I made quick work of his waistcoat and shirt and removed them together. Tarrant pulled my dress down my arms so that we were chest to chest. But it was obvious we both wanted more.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the sofa he had in his workspace. He would occasionally take naps on there, but we had used it for these purposes as well. Hatter sat me down and pulled my dress down my legs, taking my knickers with it.

"In a hurry, darling?" I asked sweetly.

"Yeh coul' say tha'," he replied

Tarrant knelt in front of me and began to kiss me gently, but it quickly heated up to more. Soon, he was working his way down my throat and further down to my breasts. He took one into his mouth and my head fell back onto the thankfully well padded sofa. His tongue made delicious circles as his thumb repeated the same action on the other side. I moaned his name and he groaned.

"Ah, lassie, yeh ken 'ow Ah luv teh 'ear yeh moan mah name like tha'. Yeh make meh mad when yeh do tha'."

His words created a different sensation into my skin and I shivered.

"An' Ah think Ah do a fairly good job o' makin' yeh mad as well," he added.

"Mad as a hatter," I said breathlessly.

"Mmm, quite."

"And in love with one, too," I panted.

"Aye."

I wove my fingers through his unruly orange hair as he continued to mark my chest. As if there needed to be proof that I was his. My heart beat perfectly in rhythm with his, but there was always that need of his to know that I loved him and was his beloved. If he needed that reassurance, then I was happy to give it to him. I certainly understood why he needed it. Besides, I couldn't deny him anything.

Slowly, his hand began to move down my body. Tenderly, one finger began to stroke up and down my folds.

"Oh, cricket, yeh're so wet a'ready. Ah luv kenin' it was me tha' made yeh like tha'."

"Tarrant, you're so bloody good at it," I said.

"Mah lady is swearin' … she must feel tha' damn good," Tarrant whispered against my thigh, which just heightened the situation.

And just as I thought he was going to keep doing what he was, he thrust two fingers within me. Leisurely he began moving them within me. So slowly in and out. Every few strokes, he would add a quick bump to my already sensitive nub and make me want to scream, if not for the location of our tryst. But I just couldn't stop the "mmmm, yes!" that escaped when he finally began to speed up.

"Alice, tell me tha' yeh luv me," he pleaded.

I tried to catch my breath. "Tarrant, I love … you so much. You mean … the world … to me."

"There is no one like yeh, mah sweet. Ah need yeh like Ah need th' air."

Finally he stopped the bumping and began lightly pressing in circles. I began to feel everything building quickly.

"Oh, Tarrant, don't stop! Just like that!" I moaned.

"Let go, beautiful. Ah need teh see yeh come apart at mah hands."

I couldn't scream, but desperately wanted to. Tarrant saw the concern in my eyes and sat up enough to cover my mouth with his, taking my shout.

After a few seconds of calming down, I ran my hand down his chest and whispered in his ear, "You know, you're terribly over dressed for this party."

He stood up in a flash, shoved his pants and shorts down his legs and kicked them somewhere behind him.

"Is this closer to the dress code?" he asked, his voice closer to a playful lisp now.

"I would say so," I said, taking advantage of him standing before me and gently running a finger along his manhood.

He shivered and the brogue came right back. "_Mo gradh_, e'en a touch as light as a feather can make meh want teh toss yeh down and take yeh."

"And what's stopping you?" I replied, firmly stroking now.

He growled and, despite that, he lovingly ran a hand through my hair. "Nothin' except a moment teh bask 'n yehr beauty."

I blushed and he ran that hand down my cheek. "All these years an' yehr still gettin' embarrassed when Ah compliment yeh. Ah shudder teh think jus' 'ow those slurvish men 'n th' Oth'rworld treated yeh."

"Let's not think on them, my love," I said, placing my hands on his face, stopping an angry rant before it could begin.

"Yehr right, o' course. Ah've go' more pressin' things teh attend teh." And with that, he sat down and lifted and turned me so I was straddling his lap. "Li' this."

"Oh yes, this is much more pressing," I whispered, lifting myself up, allowing him to position himself. As I came back down, we each groaned at the delightful feeling of connecting. There was no peace that I felt that was the same as making love with my husband.

His hands returned to my chest and I had to grip his shoulders to keep from falling backwards. Tarrant grinned that adorable gap-toothed grin at me, knowing just the effect he had on me.

"Poppet, Ah need yeh teh move. Please, luv."

"Do you now?" I teased. "And what if I don't want to?"

He rolled his eyes a bit. "Aye, yeh don' want teh move." He shifted just a little and the delicious friction caused me to shiver. "Do yeh still want teh sit still?"

"Well, maybe you've convinced me otherwise." And with that, I rose up and slammed my hips back down.

The Outlandish words that followed came too quickly for me to understand, but I'm fairly certain they were nothing I would want to translate.

My husband grabbed my hips and began to guide me into a rhythm that had me begging him for more.

"Are yeh all righ', luv?"

"Wonderful," I sighed.

The frenzy that began to build let me know that neither one of us was going to last long. "Hatter …" I moaned.

Knowing exactly what I needed, Tarrant slid a hand between us and stroked in just the way he knew would bring me to that perfect madness. Our lips crashed together as we flew over the edge.

I fell against his chest and he wrapped his arms around me. "These afternoon visits are just delightful," I said with a giggle. "I must continue with them."

"Yes, you must," he replied, giggling as well. "Your hat is completed in my head and I should have it finished faster than ever. Let me do a few things to start it and then we shall have some tea."

"I am one lucky lady."

"A well accessorized one, if anything."

I sat up and swatted at his shoulder. "I'm lucky, blessed, and terribly happy." I paused. "And well accessorized, yes."

Tarrant smiled. "Well, at least we can agree on that." He kissed my forehead and sighed. "I suppose we should clean up, though. Any minute now Nivens could bang on that door to tell us about Mirana."

"Yes, you're probably right. I'm just glad to have inspired you to finish that hat. It will be beautiful."

I stood and went to collect the strewn clothing. We quickly dressed and tidied up. Tarrant immediately went to work on the hat and I straightened up a few things around the room. I knew not to touch too much, for fear of ruining the organized chaos that was Tarrant's workroom.

I then unlocked the door (for fear that Nivens would run into it) and began the tea. Tarrant took a break from the hat and we chatted as we drank.

Just as we were finishing, McTwisp ran into the shop. (I was thankful that I remembered to unlock the door.)

"Alice! Tarrant! She's here!"

* * *

End note:

Another movie quote in this one. Can you find it? :-)


	14. After Stealing the Hat

A/N: Stupid "Marriage is…" I'm getting a little tired of that story making me do chapters for this story! *sigh* This takes place after snippet #5 of chapter 44. Please enjoy and please review!

* * *

"Tarrant, you'll have to come and get it!" And with that, I took my chances and made a break for the house.

"Wiley woman!" he called from the tea tables, probably shocked that I actually took off.

I made it into the house and up to our room before he caught up to me. It wasn't necessary for him to run, of course. I planned to give myself up once he reached the bedroom.

Hatter burst through the door and caught me around the waist. He swung me around a bit and playfully tossed me onto the bed.

"Are you quite finished now?" he asked, a grin just beginning to form.

"Oh, I suppose so. All good things must come to an end, after all."

He plucked the hat from my head and placed it back to his own. He leaned over me and his eyes began to darken.

"You know, you do look fantastic in my hat. But playtime is over."

"No, sweet Hatter, playtime is just beginning," I whispered.

"Maybe Ah shou' let yeh wear this more of'en," he said, eyes darkening already.

"Now, wait just a moment!" I said, somewhere between teasing and complete indignation. "Just a few minutes ago, you were quite cross that I had the hat at all!"

"Aye, but tha' wasnae on mah terms. If Ah place it on yehr head, then tha's different."

If I hadn't been in such an amorous mood from earlier, I would have let my stubbornness take over and given him an earful. But, as it was, I found the alternative to be a much better decision.

"I think you're being silly," I told him. "But seeing as how playtime has just begun, I'm going to ignore that fact for now."

"Oh, are yeh now?"

"Yes. Unless you would like some sort of argument to start?"

"Nae, luv! Ah like where we are jus' fine." He bent to kiss me and I already began to feel my toes curling. The man was the best kisser in the world. Not that I had any experience to say otherwise, but I couldn't imagine it any better.

Slowly, he made his way to my throat. "'ave Ah e'er told yeh how delicious yeh taste, poppet?"

I breathlessly answered, "I don't think you have."

"Well, yeh do." Hatter took a long lick from the base of my neck to my ear. "Like strawberries, tea an' somethin' all together _Alice_." He sucked a bit right behind my ear and made me moan like a mad woman. (Which I suppose I was…)

I could feel him grin against my skin. He was always so proud of himself when he played my body like an instrument. My husband was a brilliant musician when it came to love making.

His lips began to descend and he got to the neckline of my dress. "Bloody hell," he muttered. "Back buttons."

"I can't always allow you to get your way so easily," I giggled.

"Alice, if there's one thin' Ah can say abou' yeh, tis tha' yeh ne'er allow meh th' easy way."

I smiled wickedly. "Where's the fun?"

"Oh, we're abou' teh get there."

He grabbed the neckline and pulled, tearing straight down the bodice of the dress and quickly gaining access to my chest.

"Hatter!" I screeched. "I happened to have liked this dress!"

"Ah'll mend it, luv. But there are more important things righ' now than a perfect dress."

I wanted to huff a protest, but he quickly began to press kisses to my breasts, and a quick suck to an already hardened peak made me forget what I was going to say. Tarrant continued to worship me with his mouth. My head tossed back and forth and I gripped the comforter on the bed. Moans came from me with a fervor that I couldn't stop.

"Yeh're gonna wake Mally at this point," he whispered.

"I could wake the dead easier," I panted. "And I don't care right now."

"Yehr muchness is like a drug teh meh."

He began to kiss lower and lower until he reached the part of my dress he hadn't destroyed.

"Could you leave the skirt?" I said.

"Tha' lifts up. Ah'm all righ' with it." Tarrant pushed my skirt up to my waist and grinned. "Cricket, yeh 'ad today planned, dinnae yeh?"

"I'll admit to nothing," I said with a smile.

"Yehr lack o' knickers admits it fer yeh," he said as he slid a finger up my thigh. "Ah think mah naughty Alice wanted playtime more than she said."

"So, why are you stalling said playtime?"

"Good point," he whispered as the finger finally made it to my secret place. He ran it up and down and smirked. "Vury naughty Alice. Yehr ready fer meh already."

I smirked back at him. "Indeed."

He must have taken my smile as some sort of challenge and he bent lower to take a long, slow lick to my womanhood.

"Good God, Tarrant!" I shouted.

"Aye, luv?" he said before sucking at my bundle of nerves. My grip on the blankets tightened and I felt myself dancing on the edge already. Just when I thought I could take no more, Hatter plunged two fingers into me, pushing me over that edge. I screamed his name and my back arched so far that Tarrant had to hold me down.

"Sweet Alice, yeh're so perfect."

I tried to catch my breath. "You're amazing… and wearing far too many clothes."

"Well, tha' wasnae first on th' agenda."

"Perhaps it's next." I sat up quickly and was able to push him back onto the bed. Before he could say anything, I undid his belt and pants.

"Alice …" he began.

"Hush," I interrupted and swiftly removed his pants and shorts. His manhood sprung to life before me and I grinned as wide as Chess. "Seems as though you are quite ready for me yourself."

"Aye. 'ow can a man nae be?"

"Not any man. Just you. Always just you," I whispered as I took him into my mouth.

Bit of Outlandish phrases flew from his lips. Words that I knew only I heard. I sucked hard, knowing exactly what I needed to do to hear more of those delightful words. A few more sucks and licks had him right where I wanted him.

"Alice, if'n yeh want teh finish this properly, then yeh're gonna need teh stop what yeh're doin'."

"Oh, I'm nothing if I'm not a proper lady," I told him as I released him.

"Oh aye, prim and proper always," he said, rolling his eyes. "But jus' maybe Ah like th' side tha's nae a bit proper."

In a flash, he had me beneath him, pinned to the bed with both of my hands over my head. Years of physical training with the resistance had become quite useful in our bedroom.

His deep green eyes sparkled and his love shown from them. I felt like a goddess when he looked at me.

"Mah precious poppet, are yeh ready?"

"Do you need to ask? Please, Tarrant!"

"As yeh wish," he said softly into my ear as he pushed within me. I gasped with pleasure and he smiled. "Ah luv teh make yeh happy, Alice."

"You make me more than happy, Tarrant. But you'd make me even happier right now if you would just move!"

"Impatient Alice."

"It's something I'm known for," I growled as I moved my hips upward. He groaned and finally began to move.

"Better, luv?" he asked between breaths.

I could only nod as one hand caressed my cheek and slid down to my breast. His rough fingertips kept in time as he thrust deep in me.

"_M__o ghràdh_," I moaned before a string of Outlandish flew from my mouth.

"Naughty!" he playfully scolded for the words I had just used. "So much fer th' proper, eh, pet?"

"Clam up."

He heeded my command until he neared the end. "Alice, beloved, are yeh ready?"

"More than ready, sweet Hatter." And I was. I was desperate to finish with him.

He sighed and the hand that was at my breast traveled between us and began a delicious stroking at my bundle of nerves. "Yes, Tarrant!" I screamed as he yelled my name as well.

Hatter collapsed on top of me and we both smiled.

"We must look a sight right now," I said with a laugh.

He rolled off of me and laughed as well. "Yes, I suppose we do, what with your ripped dress, skirt around your waist and me dressed in my shirt and socks. I would think we look thoroughly ravaged."

"It would certainly feel as such."

"Then my work here is done," he added, waggling his eyebrows.

"So …" I began. "Can I wear your hat now?"

Tarrant just stared.

* * *

End note: Quite a few of you found "The Princess Bride" quote in the last chapter. There's a very easy one in here too from the same movie.


End file.
